Alton Ellis

Infobox musical artist
Name = Alton Ellis O.D.

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Img_capt = Performing live in 2007
Img_size =
Landscape = Yes
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Alton Nehemiah Ellis
Alias = The Godfather of Rocksteady
Born = 1938
Kingston, Jamaica
Died = October 2008
London, England
Origin =
Instrument = Vocals
Voice_type =
Genre = R&B, ska, rocksteady, reggae
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1959 – 2008
Label = Studio One, Treasure Isle, Trojan
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Alton Ellis OD (born Alton Nehemiah Ellis) (September 1, 1940 - October 10, 2008)) [Trojan Records state that he was born in 1940: [http://www.trojanrecords.com/?l1=1&articleID=262&page= ] ] " [http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gvyURCMmmxfCtVSvfAIWQUC0StAw Godfather of rocksteady dies at 70] ", Press Association, 11 October, 2008] was a musician best known as one of the innovators of rocksteady music, and was often referred to as the "Godfather of Rocksteady".Huey, Steve " [http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gifixqq5ldfe~T1 Alton Ellis Biography] , allmusic, Macrovision Corporation] [ [http://zonareggae.wordpress.com/2007/04/13/zonareggae-reviews-many-moods-ofalton-ellis/ Zona Reggae review of "Many Moods of Alton Ellis"] ] " [http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/roots/2004/01/altonellis.shtml Have a boss jumpin' 2004] ", BBC Tyne, January 2004] In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame.

Biography

Ellis was born in 1938 and grew up in Kingston's Trench Town district. Born into a musical family, he learned to play piano at a young age.Altruda, Joey " [http://swindlemagazine.com/issue09/the-legend-of-ska/4/ The Legends of Ska] ", Swindle Magazine, issue 9] He initially sought fame as a dancer, competing on Vere Johns' "Opportunity Hour".O'Brien Chang, Kevin & Chen, Wayne (1998) "Reggae Routes", Ian Randle Publishers, ISBN 976-8100-67-2] After winning a couple of competitions, he switched to singing, starting his career in 1959 as part of the duo "Alton & Eddy" with Eddy Perkins.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, ISBN 0 7535 0242 9] Ellis and Perkins recorded for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, initially in the R&B style, having a massive hit with "Muriel" (from Dodd's first commercially-oriented recording session at Federal studios),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4] , recording a follow-up, "My Heaven", before Perkins moved to the United States. Ellis continued to work for Dodd and also recorded for his arch-rival, Duke Reid on his Treasure Isle label. By the mid 1960s, ska was moving on and the beat was slowing down to rocksteady and becoming associated with the violent rude boy subculture in Jamaican dancehalls. Many artists made records referring to the rude boys, including Ellis, although his records were consistently anti-rudie, including "Don't Trouble People", "Dance Crasher", and "Cry Tough", in contrast to artists such as Bob Marley, who Ellis blamed for glorifiying the rudies. Recording with a backing trio, The Flames (the varying line-up of which included his brother Leslie Ellis, David "Baby G" Gordon and Winston Jarrett), Ellis scored big with the hits "Girl I've Got a Date", "Cry Tough" and "Get Ready - Rock Steady", which was the first song to refer to the name of the newer genre. As rocksteady dominated the Jamaican airwaves for the next two years, Ellis continued to score hits for Treasure Isle, working with artists such as Lloyd Charmers, Phyllis Dillon and The Heptones. His "Mr. Soul of Jamaica" album is regarded as one of the definitive rocksteady albums.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ellis recorded for some of Jamaica's top producers, having two huge hits with Lloyd Daley in "Deliver Us" and "Back to Africa", and recording for Bunny Lee, Keith Hudson, and Herman Chin Loy. Ellis had toured the United Kingdom in the 1960s with Studio One band the Soul Vendors, and from 1972 he based himself in the UK. Ellis continued to record and perform regularly, recording in the early 1980s for emerging producers including Henry "Junjo" Lawes, Sugar Minott, and King Jammy. He also opened up the "Alltone" record shop in South London, and started a record label of the same name.Katz, David (2003) "Solid Foundation - an Oral History of Reggae", Bloomsbury, ISBN 0 7475 6847 2]

The "Mad Mad" riddim, first recorded by Ellis in 1967 would later be recycled in more than one hundred other songs. The instantly recognizable three-note descending horn line was reinterpreted by Henry "Junjo" Lawes and eventually became known widely as the "Diseases" reggae riddim. "Diseases" is notably utilized in Yellowman's hit song ""Zungguzungguguzungguzeng", which has in turn has been sampled and reinterpreted by a long list of popular hip hop artists including KRS One, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur and Blackstar. This constant reinterpretation and referencing has made Ellis a major but little-known influence in the trajectory of dancehall, reggae and hip hop. [cite paper|first=Marshall|last=Wayne|title="Mad Mad" Migration: Caribbean Circulation and the Movement of Jamaican Rhythm|url=http://www.wayneandwax.com/academic/mad-mad-paper.html|date=2004-03-11|accessdate=2008-02-01]

Ellis continued to be active on the reggae scene until his health began to deteriorate.Taylor, Angus (2006) " [http://www.reggaenews.co.uk/concert_reviews/alton_ellis.asp Alton Ellis @ The Jazz Cafe 5th January 2006] ", Reggae News] In December 2007, he was admitted to hospital in London for treatment of cancer of the lymph glands, but he returned to live performance after receiving chemotherapy. [cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20071215T150000-0500_130425_OBS_SAY_A_PRAYER_FOR__THE_GODFATHER_OF_ROCKSTEADY__.asp|title=Say a prayer for 'The Godfather of Rocksteady'|last=Walters|first=Basil|publisher=The Jamaica Observer|date=2007-12-16|accessdate=2007-12-26]

He was the older brother of the late Hortense Ellis, and the father of more than twenty children including Noel Ellis and Christopher Ellis, who are both reggae singers.

Ellis died on 10 October 2008 at Hammersmith Hospital, West London, after collapsing during a show in London in August of that year. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7665594.stm]

Albums

* "Mr Soul Of Jamaica" (1967) Treasure Isle
* "Sings Rock and Soul" (1967) Studio One
* "The Best Of" (1969) Coxsone
* "Sunday Coming" (1970) Coxsone
* "Greatest Hits" (1973) Count Shelly also released as "Cry Tough"
* "Still In Love" (1977) Horse
* "A Love To Share" (1979) Third World
* "Showcase" (1984) Studio One
* "Slummin"' (198?) Abraham
* "Mr Ska Bean'a" (1981) Cha Cha (Alton Ellis & The Heptones)
* "A New Day" (1983) Body Music
* "Daydreaming" (1983) Silver Camel
* "25th Silver Jubilee" (1984) Sky Note
* "Continuation" (1985) All Tone
* "Jubilee Volume 2" (1985) Sky Note
* "Change My Mind" (2000) Orchard
* "More Alton Ellis" (2001) T.P.
* "Live With Aspo" Belle

;With Hortense Ellis:
* "Alton & Hortense Ellis At Studio 1" (1990) Heartbeat

;Compilations:

* "All My Tears" (1965-68) (2006) Brook
* "Alton Ellis Sings, Heptones Harmonise" Jet Star (Alton Ellis & The Heptones - 1978-80)
* "Arise Black Man" (1968-78) Moll Selekta
* "Be True To Yourself" (196X-7X) (2004) Trojan
* "Get Ready For Rock Reggae Steady" (1967-74) (1999) Jamaican Gold
* "Many Moods Of Alton Ellis" (1978-80) (1980) Tele-Tech
* "My Time Is The Right Time" (1966-71) (2000) Westside
* "Reggae Valley Of Decision" (197X) (1996) House of Reggae
* "Soul Groover" (1997) Trojan
* "Reggae Max" (1997) Jet Star
* "The Duke Reid Collection" (1999) Rhino
* "Soul of Jamaica" (2001) Bianco
* "It Hurts Me So" (2006) Essential Gold
* "Reggae Chronicles" (2006) Hallmark
* "Muriel" (2007) All Tone

References

External links

*MySpace|altonellisod
* [http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/87 Alton Ellis] at Roots Archives
*" [http://www.firecorner.com/magazine/boomshak/index.html Sleepy Meets Mr. Soul at Ladbroke Grove] " - interview with Alton Ellis and Horace Andy by Lol Bell-Brown and Mark Ottignon
* [http://www.rebelbase.be/index.php?page=54&interview_column=76 Rebel Base interview]