Otis Gayle

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, Gayle launched his recording path as lead vocalist for Byron Lee And The Dragonaires. He accompanied the band on worldwide engagements before relocating permanently to Canada in 1967. Although he remained a regular performer with the Dragonaires, Gayle simultaneously cut a string of solo successes, among them his rendition of the Detroit Spinners’ “I’ll Be Around,” cut for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One in Jamaica. His independent releases yielded further local favorites, culminating in a Juno Award in 1983—one of the first such honors bestowed on a black artist by the Canadian academy. The winning track, “Heaven Must Have Sent You,” was named Best Reggae Song, securing Gayle lasting visibility within Canada’s reggae scene. Even while pursuing this solo trajectory, he maintained his place on the Dragonaires’ roster, delivering a distinctive fusion of soca and reggae across North American venues. He also shared bills with Barry White, Joe Tex, and Jackie Mittoo. Entering the new millennium, Gayle had established himself as a “big people’s singer,” aided by such enduring numbers as “Follow Your Dreams,” “Give A Little More Love,” and “He Is My Friend.” His foundational role in the music received formal recognition in 2001, when the archival imprint Soul Jazz included his version of “I’ll Be Around” on the compilation Studio One Soul.