Carlton “Carly” Barrett
December 17, 1950 – April 17, 1987
Carlton Barrett was a reggae drummer and songwriter as well as brother of Aston “Family Man” Barrett. The Barrett brothers started out together, forming a session band first called Soul Mates, then Rhythm Force and finally the Hippy Boys that featured Max Romeo on vocals. By the early ’70s, the Hippy Boys were officially the house band for the great Lee “Scratch” Perry who renamed them the Upsetters. Barrett played behind Perry on some of reggae’s greatest instrumentals, such as “Clint Eastwood” and “Cold Sweat.” It was around this time that Barrett brothers met Bob Marley who had formed a trio with Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh. Carlton and Aston were hired to play on several early tracks and soon became permanent members of the Wailers. Carlton stayed in the Wailers until Marley’s death in 1981. Carlton Barrett was shot to death outside his home on April 17, 1987. His wife, her then lover, and another man were implicated in the murder. She ended up serving just one year for conspiracy.