The Starlites

Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, George ‘Fully’ Fullwood, Carlton ‘Santa’ Davis and Tony Chin formed a reliable rhythm section that supported numerous leading Jamaican artists such as Big Youth, Peter Tosh and his son Andrew Tosh. These musicians first came together as the core of Soul Syndicate, a group that rotated various frontmen including Freddie McGregor and Stanley Beckford (b. 17 February 1942, Portland, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 30 March 2007, St. Catherine, Jamaica, West Indies). Beckford left the ensemble in 1973 and immediately launched Starlites, cutting sides for Alvin ‘GG’ Ranglin. The outfit scored several local Kingston successes with “Healing In The Barnyard,” “Hold My Hand,” “Mama Dee” and “You Are A Wanted Man,” numbers that highlighted Beckford’s patois delivery and found strong favor with island listeners. Their peak arrived in 1975 via “Soldering,” a track whose title served as local slang for intercourse; RJR and JBC promptly banned it, an action that only boosted its commercial performance. Big Youth later reworked the melody as “Natty Dread She Want” on the 1975 album Dread Locks Dread.

Unable to match that breakthrough, Starlites dissolved by the close of the decade. Beckford re-emerged at the Jamaican Song Festival fronting the Turbynes/Turbines, who claimed first prize with “Come Sing With Me.” Additional Ranglin-produced singles such as “Where Have All The Young Girls Gone,” “Balm Yard” and the calypso-tinged “Carnival” followed on the domestic market. He reaffirmed his festival standing with a second win in 1987 performing “Dem Haffe Squirm,” after which he issued occasional recordings backed by his new outfit the Blue Gaze Mento Band. Throat cancer claimed his life in 2007.