Died On This Date (January 19, 2012) Winston Riley / Jamaican Musician & Producer
themusicsover Winston Riley
1946 – January 19, 2012
Winston Riley was an influential and pioneering reggae musician, singer, and producer. Born in Kingston, Riley was just 16 when he formed his first group, the Techniques. The vocal outfit went on to work with such producers as Byron Lee and Duke Reid before splitting up in 1968. It was then that Riley formed his own record label and began producing other artists. Over the next several years, he worked with the likes of the Escorts, Alton Ellis, and Johnny Osbourne. One of his early productions, 1971’s “Double Barrel” as recorded by Dave and Ansel Collins, is considered one of Jamaica’s first international hits for reaching #1 on both the British and Dutch charts. In fact, Riley is widely considered one of the first people to introduce reggae to England. He also produced one of reggae’s most influential albums, the 1979 General Echo release, The Slackest. The list of artists who can give Riley some credit for their success includes Gregory Isaacs, Buju Banton, Sister Nancy, Cutty Ranks, and Frankie Paul. In August of 2011, Riley was stabbed, and then a month later, he was shot in the head. As of the early months following the incidents, police had not apprehended any suspects nor determined motive. On January 19, 2012, Winston Riley died of complications from the shooting. He was 65.
What You Should Own
Ragamuffin was a really cool cat whose connection to popular music goes back to the Spring of 1989 when bands like Guns ‘n’ Roses, Poison and his favorite treat, Ratt ruled the boulevards near his first home in Glendale, California. Even within those first few weeks of his life, it was quite apparent that Ragamuffin was taken with the music that constantly played throughout his apartment, and in particular, the dancehall reggae of such artists as Yellowman, Buju Banton, and Luciano. He therefore became known as Ragamuffin, a form of dancehall whose sound is primarily made up of electronic music. in 1995, Ragamuffin moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, the so-called birthplace of Rock & Roll and home to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. While in Cleveland, Ragamuffin lived through the most snowfall in Cleveland history. Back in Southern California in 1999, Ragamuffin reached an international audience when he was featured in a short essay called “The Cat Doctor,” in the best selling book, Chicken Soup For The Cat & Dog Lover’s Soul. Throughout his long and healthy life, Ragamuffin survived the torment of three dogs, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a hot drive across the country, and countless hairballs. Sadly, Raggamuffin’s health began to deteriorate as he neared 20 years old. He was laid to rest on June 9, 2008, leaving behind canine brother and sister, Marley and Nicki.