Freddie McGregor

born on 27/6/1956 in Claredon Parish, Jamaica

Freddie McGregor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Freddie McGregor

Freddie McGregor (born 27 June 1956, Clarendon, Jamaica)[1] has been variously a singer, musician and producer. According to Allmusic he is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with a steady career that started in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old.[1]

Biography

In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to form The Clarendonians, and began to record for the Studio One label. He was only seven years old at the time and was known as 'Little Freddie'.[2] McGregor worked with producer Niney the Observer during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1975, McGregor converted to Rastafari, which had a profound impact on his music.[1] He is a member of the Twelve Tribes organization.

His popularity soared in the early 1980s with the release of "Bobby Bobylon". Other popular hits of McGregor's include "Big Ship", "Push Comes to Shove", "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" and "I Was Born a Winner"; as well as cover versions of many early reggae standards. He has also worked with producers Junjo Lawes, Linval Thompson, and Gussie Clarke. McGregor has also toured extensively for many years. He secured a licensing agreement with RAS Records in U.S. and released Come On Over in 1983 and in 1989, he inaugurated his own Big Ship label

After slowing his pace in the late 1990s, McGregor returned in 2000 with the acclaimed Signature, which restored his typical balance of roots reggae and lovers rock with touches of dancehall. He followed it two years later with a similarly well-received album, the Grammy nominated, Anything for You.[1]

He established the Big Ship Recording Studio, and has produced many artists including Luciano and Mikey Spice.

One of McGregor's three sons, Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor, is a dancehall record producer.

McGregor has spanned nearly every stylistic shift in Jamaican music, from ska and rocksteady to Rastafarian roots reggae to lovers rock to dabblings in dancehall, ragga, and dub.[1]

In a 2011 interview, he expressed concern that many veteran artists, including himself, struggled for local radio play of their newer material, which he felt may be "lost" over time as a result.[3]

His album, Di Captain, featuring guest appearances from Etana and Gappy Ranks, was released in August, 2012.[2]

In 2013 he received a Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies.[4]

Discography

Albums

  • Bobby Bobylon (1979) Studio One
  • Mr. McGregor aka Freddie McGregor (1979) Observer/Jackal/56 Hope Rd/Mercury
  • Lovers Rock (Showcase Jamaica Style) (1981) Live & Love
  • I Am Ready (1982) Coxsone/Studio One
  • Love At First Sight (1982) Intense
  • Come On Over (1983) RAS
  • Rhythm So Nice (1983) Thompson Sounds
  • Across The Border (1984) RAS
  • All In The Same Boat (1986) RAS
  • Freddie McGregor (1987) Polydor
  • Don't Want To Be Lonely Studio One
  • Live at the Town & Country Club (1991) VP
  • FM (1992) High Times
  • Live in London 1991 (1993) Charly
  • Roots Man Skanking Clocktower
  • Sing Jamaican Classics Vol.1
  • Masterpiece (1997) VP
  • Jamaican Classics Vol.2 (1998) Big Ship
  • Magic In The Air (1999) Big Ship
  • Zion Chant (1999) Heartbeat
  • Signature (2000) VP
  • Rumours (2000) Greensleeves
  • Carry Go Bring Come (2000) Greensleeves
  • Hard to Get (2000) Greensleeves
  • Forever My Love (2000) RAS
  • Push On (2002) Big Ship
  • Lovers Rock (2003) Prestige
  • Anything For You (2002) VP
  • Reggae Max (2003) Jet Star
  • Heart Is Willing (2003) Charm
  • Rhythms of My Heart (2004) Nuff
  • Comin' in Tough (2005) VP
  • Mister Eudaric Riddim (2009)
  • Mr.McGregor (2009) VP
  • Giants (2009) Joe Gibbs Publishing
  • Di Captain (2013), VP

UK hit singles

The following were hits on the UK Singles Chart:

  • "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" (1987) - #9
  • "That Girl (Groovy Situation)" (1987) - #47

[5]

DVDs and videos

Freddie McGregor releases

  • Live Video Music, Inc. (DVD)

Various artists releases featuring McGregor

  • A Reggae Christmas (1988) RAS
  • Sunsplash '90 - Reggae Rockers (1990) Wienerworld (DVD)
  • The Reggae Movie (1996) Geneon (DVD)
  • Golden Voices of Reggae (2005) Island MVD (DVD)
  • Western Consciousness Pt 2 (2005) Island MVD (DVD)

See also

  • List of reggae musicians
  • List of roots reggae artists
  • List of performers on Top of the Pops
  • VP Records
  • Rastafari movement

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 [Freddie McGregor at All Music Guide Allmusic biography - accessed January 2008]
  2. 2.0 2.1 Jackson, Kevin (2012) "Freddie's Di Captain sets sail in August", Jamaica Observer, 20 June 2012, retrieved 2013-06-24
  3. Campbell, Howard. Freddie approaches 50 years in music biz. Jamaica Gleaner. March 7, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2011
  4. Scott, Derrick (2013) "Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Award For Freddie", Jamaica Gleaner, 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited.

External links

This page was last modified 26.12.2013 23:24:13

This article uses material from the article Freddie McGregor from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.