Died On This Date (November 14, 1984) Keith Hudson / Dub Pioneer
themusicsover Keith Hudson
1946 – November 14, 1984
Known as the “Dark Prince of Reggae,” Keith Hudson was a reggae musician, singer, songwriter and producer who helped usher in the practice of “dub.” As a child growing up in Kingston, Hudson was a schoolmate of such future legends as Bob Marley, Ken Boothe and Delroy Wilson. Even at an early age, he gravitated toward the riddems that would eventually be called ska and reggae. He soon became a disciple of Coxsone Dodd, the legendary Jamaican producer. In 1960, Hudson produced his first record by a group of musicians who would soon become members of the Skatalites. His first hit as a producer came in the late ’60s thanks to “Old Fashioned Way,” a record he made with Boothe. He went on to work with Wilson, Alton Ellis and U-Roy. He began making his own records during the ’70s and began experimenting with dub. His albums at the time were critical hits in Jamaica. His 1975 Pick A Dub is considered a masterpiece and is widely regarded as the very first deliberately thematic dub album. Hudson moved to New York City not long after the release of Pick A Dub and eventually started his own label. He was diagnosed with lung cancer during the summer of 1984, and was 38 when he died of it four months later.
What You Should Own
Byron Lee was a Jamaican musician, band leader and producer who has been credited for introducing the electric bass to Jamaica. He formed the Dragonaires in the early ’50s. They went on to become one of the most successful and influential ska bands Jamaica has ever known. As a producer, Lee worked with the likes of the Maytals. He later bought a recording studio and turned it into the best of it’s kind in Jamaican, hosting the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon among other major acts. In 2007, it became known that Lee was being treated for bladder cancer. Although he was no longer able to perform with the Dragonaires, he continued on in a management capacity. Byron Lee died of cancer at the age of 73.
Known to fans as Markswoman, Louisa Mark was a UK reggae singer who had risen to prominence in London during the mid ’70s. Her 1975 single, “Caught You In A Lie.” Helped her gain recognition as one of the leading females in the lovers rock sub-genre of reggae. First noticed by legendary producer, Lloyd Coxsone, Marks was awarded a recording contract when she was just 15. During her first sessions, she recorded “Caught You In A Lie” which is considered the first Lovers rock record ever released. After high school, she began recording for Trojan Records, and in 1978, she was named reggae’s top female vocalist. Louisa Mark passed away, reportedly of some form of poisoning, on October 17, 2009.
Known as the “Godfather Of Rocksteady,” Alton Ellis was a Jamaican musician who took the elements of ska and slowed them down to a more relaxed beat. It in turn, paved the way for what we now know as reggae. A prolific singer, Ellis began his career with Eddy Perkins in the late ’50s as part of a duo, Alton & Eddy, who scored a big Jamaican hit with their “Muriel.” In the early ’60s, he formed his group, the Flames just as ska was taking hold throughout Jamaica. He slowed the beat down and recorded a hit song called “Rock Steady” which became the new genre’s name. In 1967, he recorded a song called “Mad Men” that included a three-note descending horn line which became became a constant in more than 100 reggae songs to follow. Reinterpretations of it can be heard in hip-hop songs by the likes of 
Trevor Rhone was a Jamaican actor, playwright and director. He helped popularize reggae, particularly in America with the script he wrote to the 1972 movie, The Harder The Come” which starred Jimmy Cliff and several other reggae artists. The film and its soundtrack introduced Jamaican culture and music to many in the US. The film featured songs performed by Cliff, the Maytals, Desmond Dekker and more. Trevor Rhone died of a heart attack on September 15, 2009. He was 69 years old.