Issue 09
THE LEGENDS OF SKA
By Joey AltrudaPhotography By David Jiro
Illustration By Kristian Henson
Owen Gray
I start my recording career when I was 17. How my song “On The Beach” came along—me and my friends went down to a dance, and they were playin’ a riddim. I sat on a rock and saw the girls walkin’ along the beach and the waves just bringin’ them in, and I just come up with it: “Come on down / On the beach / I wanna jumpin’ to the music of Sir Coxsone downbeat / On the beach.” Them Sundays on the beach was nice time.
I became Jamaica’s number one singer in 1962. I never knew my records were going abroad; I never had that instinct about it. My brother lives in London, Brixton area. He came to England in 1961, and he happened to know this man who had two record shops there. My brother was there, and he heard my song. He said to the man, “That’s my brother!” and the man says to him if I want to come to England—I never have no thought of leavin’ home ya understand? But I’m glad I did. I had the first full album of Jamaica music called “Owen Gray Sings” that was produced by Chris Blackwell. I’d never thought that it would be so worldwide.
Jamaican music is in four segments. First you have the blue beat, then you have the ska, then you have the rocksteady, then you have the reggae. The music has changed, but the original is still there. That’s how it is. I’m glad to be in it. The father has put me here for a purpose.
Desmond Dekker
Derrick Morgan
Alton Ellis
Owen Gray
Rico Rodriguez