Byron Lee and the Dragonaires

b. Byron Lee - June 27, 1935
Dragonaires - formed - 1956 (Jamaica)

Byron Lee and the Dragonaires enjoyed one of the longest careers in Jamaican music, their existence spanning from the dawn of the ska era to the emergence of the contemporary soca sound. Born June 27, 1935, Lee assembled the Dragonaires in 1956 with the cooperation of manager Ronnie Nasralla, and soon the group was regularly supporting touring performers including Harry Belafonte.

Regarded as one of the very first ska bands, the 14-piece Dragonaires -- their line-up in a seemingly constant state of flux -- toured extensively, travelling throughout the Caribbean and into North America spreading the ska sound; originally issued on Lee's own Dragons Breath Records, their 1960 debut single "Dumplins" was also the first-ever release on the UK Blue Beat label. Always a shrewd businessman, in 1969 Lee established the state-of-the-art Dynamic Sounds studio, which in short time became the most popular recording facility throughout the Caribbean, welcoming pop stars including the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon and Eric Clapton in addition to local artists.

During the late 1970s, Lee and the Dragonaires turned away from ska and reggae to begin pursuing the soca style, their Jamaican dancehall-influenced sound consistently wowing crowds at the annual Carnival celebration; traditionally, the group also cut an annual collection of covers of the year's most popular Carnival hits.

-- Courtesy (Jason Ankeny, All-Music Guide) --

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