Greyhound

Danny Smith and Freddie Notes launched the Rudies in Britain toward the end of the 1960s, and the ensemble later known as Greyhound issued singles under several aliases, among them the Tilermen and Des All Stars, before adopting the Greyhound identity. While still operating as the Rudies, the act scored successes with reggae adaptations of Clarence Carter’s “Patches” and Bobby Bloom’s “Montego Bay.” As the decade ended, Freddie Notes departed and Glenroy Oakley stepped in; the reconfigured Greyhound promptly registered another hit, this time with a reading of the vintage David Arkin–Earl Robinson composition “Black & White,” which achieved major success in 1971 and prompted Three Dog Night to record their own version the following year. A treatment of Henry Mancini’s “Moon River” came next, after which the group made one last chart appearance with “I Am What I Am” before fading from view. Though never particularly forward-looking, Greyhound’s smoothed-out approach to reggae helped open the door for a broader audience for polished reggae pop.