Pioneering reggae and dub vocalist and producer Lee “Scratch” Perry died on August 29, 2021 in Jamaica.
Rainford Hugh Perry, better known as Lee “Scratch” Perry, was born March 20, 1936 in Kendal, Jamaica.
Lee “Scratch” Perry was one of Jamaica’s most famous producers, who collaborated extensively with his friend Bob Marley. Perry produced many of Marley’s songs during the essential period in the early 1970s when reggae emerged as a new genre, resulting in classics such as “Soul Rebel,” “Duppy Conqueror, “Sun In Shining” and the later “Smile Jamaica” and “Punky Reggae Party.”
Scratch was also one of the seminal designers of reggae’s emerging sub-genre known as ‘dub’ known for remixing tracks and adding studio effects, creating new instrumental or vocal versions of those songs.
Perry produced a wide range of artists in multiple genres, including Junior Murvin, The Congos, Max Romeo, Adrian Sherwood, Beastie Boys, Ari Up, The Clash, The Orb, and many more.
Leading reggae label VIP Records distributed a press release: “Lee was a record producer and singer who was most noted for his innovative studio techniques and productions style. He was a pioneer in the development of Dub who adopted remixing with studio effects to create new instrumental or vocal versions of existing Reggae tracks. He worked with several of Reggae’s greatest artists including Bob Marley and The Wailers, Max Romeo, The Congo’s and more.“
In 2002, Perry won the GRAMMY Award for best Reggae Album for “Jamaican E.T.” He was also nominated in 2007 for ‘The End of an American Dream,’ Repentance (2008), Revelation (2010), and Back On The Controls (2014).
Patricia ‘Miss Pat’ Chin, Matriarch of VP Records says “I am so sad to hear of my dear friend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s passing. Our relationship started more than 60 years ago at Randy’s Record Mart in Jamaica. My condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.”
Over the span of his career, Lee released 77 albums. In 2021 he released four albums; Dubz of The Root, Friends, No Bloody Friends and To Conquer The Evil Duppies. To honor Record Store Day 2021, he re-issued the remastered classic 1978 vocal LP Roast Fish, Collie Weed, and Corn Bread recorded at his famed Black Ark studio.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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