Junior Delgado

Among Jamaica's many accomplished roots reggae artists, Junior Delgado distinguishes himself with his singularly emotive and faintly raspy singing style, maintaining steady appeal even as musical fashions shifted and dancehall displaced his primary approach. Born August 25, 1958, in Kingston, Jamaica, he first performed in his teens under the name Junior Hibbert alongside the vocal group Time Unlimited. In 1973 producer Lee Perry took the quartet under his wing, providing guidance and capturing sessions, yet little of that material reached the public until the group finally scored a hit with "Reaction."

Greater visibility opened further doors, leading the quartet to cut singles for Rupie Edwards and Tommy Cowan, though none matched the impact of "Reaction." The group next linked with Bunny Lee, but those sessions yielded no results, prompting Hibbert to leave the quartet in 1975 and launch a solo career under the new name Junior Delgado, drawn from his longstanding nickname based on the Spanish term for skinny.

At first success remained elusive. Work with producer Niney Holness brought no breakthroughs, nor did a brief switch to the alias Jooks. Recognition arrived only once the singer joined Dennis Brown's DEB label and collaborated with producer Earl "Chinna" Smith. Their initial effort, "Tition," proved successful and paved the way for further hits such as "Famine" and "Devil's Throne," which led to Delgado's 1978 debut album, Taste of the Young Heart. The following year he launched his own imprint, Incredible Jux, to release the follow-up album Effort.

During the same period Delgado continued issuing singles with other respected producers including Prince Jammy and Joe Gibbs, as well as Augustus Pablo, for whom he recorded the pivotal tracks "Blackman's Heart Cries Out" and "Away With You Fussing and Fighting." Through the early 1980s the artist divided his efforts between studio work and tours of Britain, where his popularity matched that in Jamaica. Both The More She Love It and Disco Style Showcase appeared in 1981 as the singer began exploring the emerging dancehall sound, yet he never fully abandoned his roots foundations. Reuniting with Perry, Delgado delivered the standout single "Sons of Slaves"; Sly & Robbie handled the rhythms for the classic "Fort Augustus," while the artist self-produced the equally notable "Rich Man Poor Man." The latter track, along with "Bush Master M16," highlighted the 1982 album Bushmaster Revolution. After an enforced break that included 18 months in prison, Delgado recorded the fiery 1985 London single "Broadwater Farm," inspired by the troubled north London housing estate of that name. Shortly after the record's appearance the estate itself drew national attention through the most intense rioting England had seen in recent years. Sisters & Brothers followed later that year. Additional singles soon emerged, notably "Raggamuffin Year," which reunited Delgado with Augustus Pablo to celebrate the fresh raggamuffin style born from the digital shift; the song also titled the singer's next album, issued in 1986.

Delgado and Pablo kept working together through the remainder of the 1980s, producing a series of hit singles and the album One More Step. Delgado self-produced his subsequent full-length, It Takes Two to Tango, along with several more successful singles including "Bus I Skull" and "We a Blood." In this era he also mentored White Mice and Yami Bolo, co-producing hits for both alongside Pablo. As the new decade began Delgado reduced his pace, issuing only two albums during the 1990s. An impressive dub counterpart to Ragamuffin Year, created with Pablo, surfaced early in the decade, while 1998's Fearless confirmed the singer's boldness. Boasting a wide array of guest contributors that spanned the Specials' Jerry Dammers, Faithless rapper Maxi Jazz, trip-hop duo Smith & Mighty, and remix specialists the Jungle Brothers, the set demonstrated that Delgado's curiosity about fresh sounds remained undiminished. 1999 brought Reasons, tracked in London under the guidance of On-U Sound producer Adrian Sherwood.

After the death of longtime friend Dennis Brown, Delgado created his own tribute to the revered vocalist, titled Junior Delgado Sings Dennis Brown. He also maintained a schedule of live performances before enthusiastic audiences across the Atlantic. Having spent more than 25 years in the music industry, Delgado's work continued to connect with younger listeners; in 1999 he performed at the Glastonbury and Roskilde festivals to strong acclaim. Junior Delgado passed away on April 11, 2005.