Freddie McKay

b. 1947 - St. Catherine, Jamaica
d. Nov 19, 1986 - Kingston, Jamaica

Rocksteady singer Freddie McKay had a few hits in the '60s (one of which was miscredited to someone else!), recorded with the Soul Defenders, among other studio groups, and worked with Jamaica's top reggae producers Duke Reid, Coxsone Dodd, and Prince Buster.

Purportedly born in the late '40s in St. Catherine, Freddie McKay went on to record for the Studio One and Treasure Isle labels, working with studio bands the Revolutionaires, the G.G. Allstars, and the Soul Defenders, with whom McKay cut "Picture on the Wall" (his biggest hit), "High School Dance," and other enjoyable, but non-charting, songs including "Old and Gray." According to the compilation Wake Up Jamaica, another one of McKay's hits, "Love Is a Treasure," was initially released in the late '60s as a Treasure Isle Boys single. The song's reissue in the early '70s got the performer wrong again, this time listing Tommy McCook's All Stars. Eventually, the record was set straight and a few of Freddie McKay's singles remained perennial favorites on ska and rocksteady compilations decades later.

-- Courtesy (Joslyn Layne, All-Music Guide) --

McKay first recorded for producer Prince Buster in 1967, his first hit coming the same year with "Love Is A Treasure", recorded for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle set-up. McKay then enjoyed a fruitful spell with Coxsone Dodd, recording a number of popular songs for Studio One backed by The Soul Defenders, including "High School Dance", "Sweet You Sour You", and "Picture On The Wall", the latter the title track of his 1971 debut album. A second album, Lonely Man followed in 1974. McKay recorded a duet with Horace Andy in 1975, "Talking Love" which was also a hit in Jamaica. McKay enjoyed another hit in 1976 with "Dance This Ya Fstival", which won the Jamaican Independence Popular Song Contest that year. McKay teamed up with Alvin Ranglin for the misleadingly titled The Best Of Freddie McKay in 1977, McKay now adapting to the prevailing roots reggae style. Creation followed in 1979, and Tribal Inna Yard in 1983. McKay maintained a faithful following until his death in 1987 from a heart attack.

Albums

• Picture On The Wall (1971, Studio One)
• Lonely Man (1974, Dragon.UK /Dynamic.Ja.) (reissued 1996, Lagoon)
• The Best Of Freddie McKay (1977, GG's)
• Creation (1979, Plant and Joe Gibbs)
• Harsh Words (1982 Gorgon)
• Tribal Inna Yard (1983, Move)
• I'm a Free Man (1988 Uptempo)
• Freddie McKay & Soul Defenders at Studio One (1991, Heartbeat)
• The Right Time Recordings (1997, GG's) (with Jah Stone)
• The Right Time (1999, Rhino)
• When You're Smiling (2002, Rhino) (Lonely Man + bonus tracks)
• Doin' It Right (2003, Charly)