Alton Ellis -The Godfather of Rocksteady

Alton 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.^[6] He initially sought fame as a dancer, competing on Vere Johns' Opportunity Hour.^[7] 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.^[8] 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),^[9], recording a follow-up, "My Heaven", before Perkins moved to the United States.^[8] Ellis continued to work for Dodd and also recorded for his arch-rival, Duke Reid on his Treasure Isle label.^[8] 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.





His Many successes over the years included:

• 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: Workin' on a Groovy Thing (2001) Belleville International / Patate Records

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

In December 2007, he was admitted to hospital in London for treatment of cancer of the lymphchemotherapy. glands, but he returned to live performance after receiving

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, of cancer.

He will be missed.

Source: Wikipedia