The In Crowd

The In Crowd emerged as a leading showband toward the close of the 1970s under the direction of Phil Callender, who handled lead guitar, vocals, and percussion. The lineup also included Errol Walker—born Earl George Walker on 15 July 1948 in Trench Town, Jamaica, West Indies—on lead vocals, alongside Clevie Browne on drums and vocals, Tony Lewis on bass and vocals, Freddie Butler on keyboards, and Wigmore Francis on guitar. Completing the ensemble was a horn section of Egbert Evans on tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, and flute, plus Barry Bailey on trombone. Prior to his arrival in the group, Browne had already worked with his siblings in the Browne Bunch throughout the second half of the decade.

Initial attention arrived via the chart-topping single “We Play Reggae,” whose relaxed groove perfectly captured the mood of summer 1978. That breakthrough generated strong demand for the next release, which arrived in the form of “Back A Yard.” Widely viewed as a timeless classic of the style, the track eclipsed its predecessor through its upbeat portrayal of everyday Jamaican existence. Buoyed by these results, the musicians cut their first album, His Majesty Is Coming, an effort that blended multiple approaches rather than mirroring the tuneful character of the earlier 45s. Numbers such as “Slave Ship,” “You Facety Whitey,” and “Beg You A Ten Cent” addressed weightier subjects that clashed with the group’s customary ethereal delivery and sweet vocal blends. A further success came with the album’s title track, after which the band moved to Island Records for the less commercially rewarding Man From New Guinea. That collection paired the three preceding singles with six fresh recordings, among them “Marcus Garvey’s Back In Town” and the forward-looking “Time Is Running Out.”

Although the ensemble’s lifespan proved brief, it supplied reggae audiences with two enduring anthems certain to inspire widespread lighter-waving during revival shows. Once the unit disbanded, Callender launched a solo path highlighted by the upbeat “Island Music,” while Browne later formed half of the renowned production duo Steely And Clevie.