Biography
Enos McLeod never climbed into reggae’s uppermost international ranks, and by local Jamaican measures his recorded output stayed comparatively modest. Even so, this vocalist-producer left lasting impressions on both sides of the console. Born in Kingston’s Trenchtown section in 1946, he began his professional journey at Studio One after Syd Bucknor taught him the craft of engineering. His earliest productions, completed in 1968, were promptly acquired by the storied British Blue Cat label. The opening release paired his own “You Can Never Get Away” with the duet “La Bamba” featuring Sheila; the next single, however, Lloyd Clarke’s “Young Love,” supplied his initial hit. Momentum then stalled until the mid-1970s, after which McLeod concentrated mainly on his own material while sporadically voicing sides for other producers. A steady succession of trenchant cultural singles continued through the remainder of the decade and into the early 1980s. Several appeared under the Preacher name, among them “Black Moses,” “Temptation Woman,” “Psalms of David,” and “Rhythm Bible.” Issued under his own name were “Tel Aviv,” “Cash & Carry,” “Sufferer’s Prayer,” “Wicked Babylon,” “By the Look,” “Hello Carol,” and “Jericho,” the last supported by the Mighty Diamonds. Although McLeod issued no full-length album during the roots period, his strongest singles later surfaced on the Genius of Enos McLeod compilation and on the Goodies Best collection. The Tel Aviv set interleaves McLeod’s originals with his productions for Bobby Melody, Gregory Isaacs, Lloyd Clarke, and Dennis Walks. Reggae Mix-Tures, by contrast, showcases mostly his work with deejays Jah Stitch, Trinity, and Clint Eastwood. Prince Far I is absent from that anthology despite having cut a pair of numbers for McLeod; earlier, while still employed at Studio One in the early 1970s, McLeod had advised the artist then called Prince Cry Cry to adopt the name Far I. Another significant production credit belongs to Augustus Pablo’s 1975 Thriller album. Joseph Hill nevertheless maintained that McLeod contributed nothing to the Culture in Culture set despite receiving co-credit. Despite an extensive roster of collaborators that included Pat Kelly, Al Campbell, and Shorty the President, McLeod himself has remained sparsely documented. The singing producer nevertheless kept his visibility intact with the 1995 album Ram Jam Party, the 1997 release Dance Hall Style, and Love of My Life, which appeared in 2005.