Jimmy London

Born Trevor Shaw on 30 November 1949 in St. Catherine, Jamaica, West Indies, the singer later known as Jimmy London first entered the recording scene during the late 1960s. Alongside the Inspirations he cut three Joe Gibbs-produced singles—“Take Back Your Duck,” “La La” and “The Train Is Coming”—that became local hits. Early the following decade he gained wider attention through sessions with the Impact All Stars at Randy’s studios. A reading of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” climbed to number one on the Jamaican chart and performed strongly on Britain’s reggae listings; the track anchored the album Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which also housed the follow-up single “A Little Love.” Two further selections from the set, covers of the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” and “It’s Now Or Never,” appeared as singles. In 1974 “Rock And Roll Lullaby” registered solidly on the reggae chart thanks to its memorable “Na na na it’ll be alright” refrain. The Dragon label release “No Letter Today” then held the top reggae spot for eight straight weeks. Additional 45s such as “Together,” “Jim Say Hello” and “Don’t Keep The Kids,” recorded with assorted producers, kept his name prominent on specialist playlists. London visited Britain in 1975, making his first appearance at London’s Lyceum while supporting soul singer George McCrae. Teaming with Pat Rhoden, he issued “What Good Am I” as the debut single on the newly established Jama imprint; “I’m Your Puppet” and “Am I That Easy To Forget” soon followed. The 1976 album Welcome To My World contained the devotional cut “Thank The Lord,” a fresh version of his earlier success “A Little Love,” a rendering of the Drifters’ “Kissin’ In The Back Row Of The Movies” and the well-received “Hold On.” London maintained a recording career through the remainder of the 1970s and into the 1980s.