The Ethiopians

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The Ethiopians
Origin Jamaican flag Jamaica
Genre(s) Reggae

Rocksteady Ska
Years active 1966-present
Members
Leonard Dillon
Former members
Stephen Taylor

Aston Morris
Melvin Reid

The Ethiopians is a ska, rocksteady, and reggae vocal group, founded by Leonard Dillon (born 9 December 1942, Port Antonio, Jamaica), Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris. [1] The group started out recording for Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd in 1966.

Dillon had previously released some mento songs under the name Jack Sparrow. Around late 1966, Morris left the Ethiopians. Having left Dodd, the Ethiopians started recording at Dynamic Studios for the W.I.R.L. label, releasing the ska classic song "Train to Skaville", which was their first success. In 1968 they recorded the song "Everything Crash", their first big hit. The song criticised the political situation in Jamaica at the time, such as water rationing and power cuts that led to unrest; such as an incident in which 31 people were shot by police. "Everything Crash" was later covered by Prince Buster. "The Whip" is another of their enduring songs from that period.

In 1969 they released the album, Reggae Power, and in 1970 the albumWoman a Capture Man. Between 1970 and 1975, the Ethiopians switched from producer to producer, releasing songs such as "No Baptism", "Pirate", and "Good Ambition". In September 1975, Taylor was killed by a van while he was crossing a road, but Dillon continued to tour as The Ethiopian. In 1991, he recorded the solo album On the Road Again. Toward the end of the 1900s, Dillon formed a new Ethiopians lineup with female backing vocalists Jennifer Lara and Merlene Webber, who appeared on the 1999 album, Tuffer Than Stone.[2]

[edit] Album discography

  • Engine '54: Let's Ska and Rock Steady - (1968) - Jamaican Gold
  • Reggae Power - (1969)
  • Woman a Capture Man - (1970) - Trojan
  • Slave Call - (1977) - Heartbeat
  • Dread Prophecy - (1989) - Nighthawk
  • Let's Ska and Rock Steady - (1990) - VP Records
  • Clap Your Hands - (1993) - Lagoon
  • Sir J.J. & Friends - (1993) - Lagoon
  • Owner Fer De Yard - (1994) - Heartbeat
  • Train to Skaville - (1999) - Charly
  • Tuffer Than Stone - (1999) - Warriors
  • Skaville Princess - (2000) - Dressed to Kill
  • Train to Skaville: Anthology 1965-1975 - (2002) - Trojan - compilation [1]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ ReggaeTrain.com...your portal to Reggae music...(Biography [The Ethiopians])
  2. ^ allmusic ((( The Ethiopians > Biography )))

[edit] External links

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