Josey Wales

Among the originators who helped shape dancehall into a distinct force, Josey Wales stood out by extending the groundbreaking DJ chatting methods of his mentor U-Roy and forging a personal approach that left a deep mark on later performers. When dancehall supplanted the prevailing reggae sound across Jamaica in the early '80s, Wales earned recognition alongside Brigadier Jerry and his sound-system partner Charlie Chaplin as one of the island’s leading DJs. His instantly identifiable rough, gravelly tone and distinctive half-spoken, half-sung style prompted widespread imitation among emerging talents. In contrast to Yellowman, the only DJ of that period who enjoyed greater popularity, Wales deliberately avoided slackness and maintained strictly conscious, Rastafarian themes in his lyrics. Although this stance left him progressively out of step with prevailing tastes throughout the '80s, he sustained a steady schedule of performances and continued to be viewed as a respected trailblazer.

Born Joseph Winston Sterling in West Kingston, Jamaica, he adopted the stage name Josey Wales from the Clint Eastwood Western The Outlaw Josey Wales, which naturally led to the enduring nicknames “The Outlaw” and “The Colonel.” His first professional appearances came in 1977 as a DJ for the Roots Unlimited Sound System, after which he gained prominence during a three-and-a-half-year stint with U-Roy’s King SturGav Hi-Fi Sound System in the early ’80s. There he formed a formidable pairing with sparring partner Charlie Chaplin, helping make King SturGav one of the era’s most dominant sound systems. Initial recordings consisted of live sets released on producer Bunny Roots’ label, yet Wales did not enter a studio until he connected with Henry “Junjo” Lawes, the leading producer of early dancehall. While also performing for Lawes’ Volcano sound system, he issued his debut single, “Baby Come Home,” on the Volcano label in 1983.

Although “Baby Come Home” did not achieve major success, the follow-up “Let Go Mi Hand” became a breakthrough hit that established Wales as a recording artist rather than solely an electrifying live performer. Later that year his first album, The Outlaw Josey Wales, arrived and solidified his standing among Jamaica’s foremost DJs, second only to Yellowman at the height of his popularity. Additional successes followed, among them “Bobo Dread,” featured on the 1984 shared album Two Giants Clash with Yellowman, and “Drug Abusing,” included on his second solo album, the self-produced No Way No Better Than Yard, also from 1984. Wales shifted to producer King Jammy’s label in 1985, where he cut a string of hits that included “Na Lef Jamaica,” “Ha Fi Say So,” “Right Moves,” “It’s Raining,” and “Water Come a Mi Eye.” The Rulin’ album appeared in 1986 on the Black Solidarity label, followed by several compilations of his Jammy’s material later in the decade.

By then Wales’ approach had begun to feel dated, as other toasters advanced lyrical complexity and slackness along with gun talk dominated the dancehalls, leaving limited space for his steadfast Rastafarian outlook. Even so, he stayed active on the Jamaican music scene for years afterward, both recording and mentoring younger artists such as Shabba Ranks. In 1989 he recorded the album Undercover Lover for George Phang, then concentrated primarily on collaborations in the early ’90s. Duo projects with longtime associates U-Roy (Teacher Meets the Student) and Charlie Chaplin (Kings of the Dancehall) surfaced in 1992 and 1994, respectively, while the duet “Hey Girl” with Beres Hammond became a major U.K. hit in 1993. The solo album Cowboy Style appeared on King Jammy’s label in 1994, and during the decade Wales also collaborated with Gussie Clarke, Tappa Zukie, Philip “Fatis” Burrell, and Bobby Digital. After surviving gunshot wounds in a 1997 robbery at a Kingston bar, he experienced a brief resurgence, scoring Jamaican hits with the singles “Bush Wacked” and “Who Shot the Colonel” later that year. In 1998 he rejoined the reunited King SturGav Hi Fi Sound System, touring alongside Charlie Chaplin, Brigadier Jerry, and U-Roy.