The Ethiopians
formed - 1966
(Kingston, Jamaica)
Leonard Dillon - b. December 9, 1942 (Port Antonio, Jamaica)
Stephen Taylor - b. 1944 (St Mary, Jamaica) - d. 1975
Aston Morris - left in 1966
The Ethiopians were an important group in the evolution of reggae music. Founded in 1966, they were a tough act combining rudeness with righteousness and performed an early, exciting version of rocksteady. Originally, the Ethiopians were a trio comprised of Leonard "Sparrow" Dillon, Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris. Dillon was the founding member. Around 1964, Dillon's new friend Peter Tosh helped him launch a solo career with producers Lee Perry and Coxsone Dodd. He had just released a hit single, "Ice Water" when he heard Taylor and Morris singing on a street corner and invited them to sing back-up for him. They did so and then planned to launch their own career. Still when Dillon suggested they all get together, Taylor expressed interest while Morris, a songwriter and guitarist, was reticent. He eventually agreed and after many rehearsals, Dillon took them to Studio One to record three songs including "Live Good." Morris left them after that.
The Ethiopians' distinctive sound is characterized by sweet, close at times mournful harmonies that speak of the social injustice and racism that has plagued the island's Africans since colonial times. Dillon wrote many of their songs and claims that very few of them are based on his experiences. Rather he finds inspiration by observing other people. Occasionally he wrote love songs, but he never felt comfortable singing them. Following their first recording session, the two performed a bit and then Dillon went back to construction work until his latest employer, contractor Lee Robertson heard him singing one of his songs at work. He loved it and after Dillon convinced him that he knew all about making records, agreed to finance a new single. The result, "Train to Skaville" became the Ethiopians' breakthrough hit. It was so popular that they had trouble producing enough disks to satisfy the public. Among their most famous songs are the reggae standard "The Whip" (the first reggae tune to contain percussion; he used three bottles to make the distinctive clicking sounds ) and their 1968 career single "Everything Crash." The Ethiopians hit a rocky stretch after that when they went broke. With no received royalties, and unable to afford to record, Taylor took a side job at a gas station. He was crossing the street one day to make change when he was killed by a Chevy van. Dillon and friends were having a party at the time and had been expecting Taylor to bring some booze. The bad news was a terrible shock and Dillon took a hiatus from music for a while. Eventually he and Aston Morris got together and revived the Ethiopians and continued recording and performing through the '70s.
-- Courtesy (Sandra Brennan, All-Music Guide) --
Reggae legend Leonard Dillon was born in Port Antonio, Jamaica on December 9, 1942. After relocating to Kingston in 1963, he was befriended by Peter Tosh, who in turn introduced him to the legendary producer Coxsone Dodd; with Tosh and his fellow Wailers singing harmony, Dodd cut four of Dillon's songs -- among them the hit "Ice Water" -- released in 1965 under the name Jack Sparrow. Soon after he formed the Ethiopans with Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris, one of the seminal groups of the Rock Steady era and a major force in Jamaican music until Taylor's death in 1975. Reeling from the tragedy, Dillon retreated to Port Antonio for two years, finally resurfacing to reform the Ethiopans for a session with producer Niney the Observer later released as Slave Call. He later recorded as a solo act as well, yielding the 1999 retrospective On the Road Again.
-- Courtesy (Raymond McKinney, All-Music Guide) -- |
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