Mighty Diamonds Explained

Mighty Diamonds
Landscape:yes
Background:group_or_band
Origin:Kingston, Jamaica
Genre:Roots reggae
Years Active:1969–2022
Label:Free World Music
Website:https://www.youtube.com/@themightydiamondsofficial/about
Past Members:Lloyd "Judge" Ferguson
Donald "Tabby" Shaw
Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson

The Mighty Diamonds were a Jamaican harmony trio, recording roots reggae with a strong Rastafarian influence. The group was formed in 1969 and were best known for their 1976 debut album, Right Time, produced by Joseph Hoo Kim, and the 1979 release, Deeper Roots.

On March 29, 2022, their lead singer, Donald "Tabby" Shaw, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting.[1] On April 1, 2022, Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson died.[2] They disbanded shortly afterwards.

History

Formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, the group comprised lead vocalist Donald "Tabby" Shaw, and harmony vocalists Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson and Lloyd "Judge" Ferguson.[3] [4] They had become friends at school in the mid-1960s, and were originally called The Limelight, adopting 'Mighty Diamonds' after Shaw's mother started referring to them as "the diamonds".[5] [6] Their smooth harmonies and choreographed stage show were inspired by Motown vocal groups of the 1960s, with Shaw listing The Temptations, The Stylistics, The Impressions, and The Delfonics as influences as well as Jamaican rocksteady artists such as John Holt and Ken Boothe.

Their early recordings were produced by Pat Francis, Stranger Cole ("Girl You Are Too Young" (1970), "Oh No Baby"), Derrick Harriott ("Mash Up"), Bunny Lee ("Jah Jah Bless the Dreadlocks", "Carefree Girl"), Lee "Scratch" Perry ("Talk About It"), and Rupie Edwards, but it was in 1973 that they had their first hit single with the Francis-produced "Shame and Pride", recorded at the Dynamic Sounds studio.[7] It was their mid-1970s work with producer Joseph Hoo Kim that gave them their real breakthrough. "Country Living" and "Hey Girl" were recorded and released by the Channel One label. "Right Time" followed, on Hoo Kim's Well Charge label, and cemented their status as one of the top Jamaican groups of the time.

Virgin Records signed them and the group's début album, Right Time, was released in 1976, including most of their early Channel One hits.[8] The album was an international success and for the follow-up, Virgin sent them to work with Allen Toussaint in New Orleans, with local musicians providing the backing.[9] The resulting Ice on Fire album sold poorly, the production not appealing to reggae fans, and the album later described as "an attempt by New Orleans soul musicians to play reggae".[10]

Back in Jamaica, they continued to record for Channel One, with the Stand Up to Your Judgment album released in 1978, and continued to produce a string of hit singles. They also released records on their own 'Bad Gong' label. The group's Deeper Roots, released in 1979, was their next big album success, again released by Virgin, on its Front Line label.[11]

In the early 1980s, they recorded with producer Gussie Clarke, largely using old Studio One tracks as the basis for their recordings, and dubplates of these sessions became popular on sound systems in Jamaica, New York, and London, particularly "Pass the Kouchie", recorded on the "Full Up" riddim. Their work with Clarke produced the 1981 album Changes.

"Pass the Kouchie", written by Ferguson and Simpson, became an international hit twice, when first released (on their 1982 album Changes) and again when it was covered by Musical Youth with altered lyric to remove the drug references, and released as "Pass the Dutchie" (1982).

Their performance at Reggae Sunsplash in 1982 was released on an album later that year, paired with the performance from Mutabaruka.[12]

The group continued to release albums regularly, adapting successfully to the prevailing digital rhythms of the 1980s and beyond.[13] Tabby, Bunny and Judge issued over forty albums in their long career.

In 2021, the group was honoured with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) in the National Honours and Awards, on the occasion of Jamaica’s 59th Anniversary of Independence.[14] [15]

On 29 March 2022, Donald “Tabby” Shaw was shot dead, along with one other person, on McKinley Crescent in St Andrew, Kingston, Jamaica. Three others were injured in the shooting. The following Friday, 1 April, co-signer with the group, Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson died whilst in an undisclosed Kingston hospital.[16]

Discography

Studio albums

Collaborations and split albums

Compilations

Live albums

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 'Mighty Diamonds' lead singer among two killed in drive-by shooting. 30 March 2022. The Gleaner. 18 April 2022.
  2. News: Fitzroy "Bunny Diamond" Simpson of The Mighty Diamonds Passed Away. 2 April 2022. South Florida Caribbean News. 18 April 2022.
  3. Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books,, p. 196-7
  4. Huey, Steve "The Mighty Diamonds Biography", AllMusic, retrieved 17 September 2012
  5. Kenner, Rob (1995) "Boomshots", Vibe, March 1995, p. 100, retrieved 17 September 2012
  6. Taylor, Lewis (2002) "Mighty Diamonds 'Rise Up' and Shine", Eugene Register-Guard, 3 May 2002, p. 5, retrieved 17 September 2012
  7. Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (1999) Reggae – 100 Essential CDs: The Rough Guide, Rough Guides,, p. 107-8
  8. Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides,, pp. 151, 157, 160, 203
  9. Anderson, Rick "Ice on Fire Review", AllMusic, retrieved 17 September 2012
  10. "Mighty Diamonds "Ice on Fire"" (review syndicated from Rolling Stone), The Tuscaloosa News, 3 June 1977, p. 15, retrieved 17 September 2012
  11. News: Daümler-Ford, Jonathan . Reggae Round-up . . 18 August 1979 . 30 November 2018 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  12. Leggett, Steve "Live at Reggae Sunsplash Review", AllMusic, retrieved 17 September 2012
  13. Greene, Jo-Ann "Get Ready Review", AllMusic, retrieved 17 September 2012
  14. News: Honours in order Ernest Ranglin, Aston Barrett, Lt Stitchie, The Mighty Diamonds to receive national awards . . 8 August 2021 . 8 August 2021.
  15. News: OD for Mighty Diamonds, the longest group together in reggae music history. 15 August 2021 . The Gleaner. 18 April 2022.
  16. Web site: Ample Organics Launches National Cannabis Tracking System for St. Vincent. 7 December 2019. South Florida Caribbean News.

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