Junior Tucker

Born in 1966 in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, Leslie Tucker launched his path in music as a gifted young performer. Raised in a household steeped in song, he counted among his relatives an uncle who served as vocalist for Count Ossie And The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari. During 1976 he cut a rendition of “Sideshow” alongside Earl “Chinna” Smith, the same number that had scored a major success for Barry Biggs that year. At the One Love Peace Concert in April 1978 Tucker took the stage to deliver “Happy,” “Mr Melody,” and a version of the Jacksons’ “Enjoy Yourself,” all three selections later appearing on the album It’s A Small Small World. The nine-track set also introduced the earliest reggae adaptation of Stephen Bishop’s “On And On,” which Aswad would carry to chart prominence in 1989, together with the track “Who’s Lovin’ You.” Continuing under the guidance of his original producer Tommy Cowan, Tucker scored a substantial success in 1980 with “Some Guys Have All The Luck.” The “child star” tag nevertheless clung to him, prompting an extended hiatus. Returning in the late eighties, he collaborated with Handel Tucker and Erskine Thompson; their initial joint effort, “Don’t Test,” fused reggae and operatic elements while channeling the bold stance then dominant in dancehall. Subsequent singles “Sixteen,” the Lieutenant Stitchie feature “Are You Ready,” and “Love Is The Strongest Emotion” likewise received scant attention. In 1991 Tucker teamed with Steely And Clevie for a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “You Don’t Care.” Two years later he claimed the reggae summit with “Love Of A Lifetime,” and throughout the mid-nineties he recorded alongside Richie Stephens, Buccaneer, Papa San, General Degree, and Beenie Man. The 1994 release “Born To Love You” further extended his run of hits.