Biography
Born Clarence Williamson in London, England, during November 1961, he accompanied his family to Jamaica in 1973. There he finished his schooling and took up guitar. Across six years on the island he entered numerous local talent contests, winning many while listeners repeatedly likened his voice to Gregory Isaacs. His return to the UK with his family in 1980 marked the start of his professional rise; an alliance with Time Records yielded the debut single ‘Bristol Riot’, also issued as ‘I’ve Got To Go’, a forward-looking reference to the period’s urban unrest in Britain. He reinforced his profile with ‘Chant In A Dance’, his final release for the label. Although he had begun strictly as a singer, he soon found he could deejay with equal facility. The 1981 single ‘Rat Cut A Bottle’ quickly became a roots-scene anthem. Two years later he appeared at the 5th Black Echoes Annual Reggae Awards, headlined by Michigan And Smiley and also featuring Ranking Dread and Carroll Thompson; his performance drew widespread critical acclaim. The event led to a tour of the Netherlands, after which he resumed promoting his material in the UK. Late 1996 brought a reissue of ‘Rat Cut A Bottle’ that revived interest in his earlier catalogue.
Singles