The Gladiators

For over three decades, Albert Griffiths and his Gladiators have been a major force within Jamaican music. Born in 1946, in St. Elizabeth parish, he grew up in poverty in Trench Town, and trained as a mason. However, music beckoned, and linking with David Webber, brother of the popular Webber Sisters, the pair auditioned around the studios, but to no avail. Thus it was back to masonry, where Griffiths was now working alongside the Ethiopians' Leonard Dillon under a foreman, Leebert Robinson, also looking to enter the music industry. Griffiths convinced Robinson to fund a recording session; with the Supersonics providing accompaniment, the Ethiopians cut "Train to Skaville," backed by Griffiths' "You Are the Girl," credited to Al & the Ethiopians. "Train" was a smash, while "Girl" confirmed Griffiths' own potential. The following year, in 1968, Griffiths and Webber joined forces with Errol Grandison, and the Gladiators were born. The trio continued recording for Robinson, whilst also branching out to cut singles for Clive Chin and Duke Reid. But it was with Coxsone Dodd that the group first tasted success, when "Hello Carol" topped the Jamaican chart in late 1968. Unfortunately, it was at this point, that Webber began exhibiting signs of serious mental illness, and while the Gladiators continued sporadically recording, it was evident that Webber was becoming increasingly incapacitated. In his stead would come country boy Clinton Fearon. Fearon had arrived in Kingston at 16, and formed the short-lived vocal group the Brothers with two friends. The Brothers went nowhere, but Fearon was serious about music, and began lessons at the music school that Griffiths was now running. By this time, the elder man was also employed as a guitarist at Studio One, where Fearon would soon...