finetune artist: Freddie McGregor

b. c.1955, Clarendon, Jamaica, West Indies. McGregor entered the Jamaican music business at the precocious age of seven, singing backing vocals with ska duo the Clarendonians at Coxsone Dodd's Studio One. He stayed with Dodd throughout the rest of the decade and into the early 70s, acting as a session drummer and backing singer as well as cutting sides such as "Why Did You Do It", and "Do Good" (c.1965) with Clarendonian Ernest "Fitzroy" Wilson as Freddie And Fitzy, versions of Johnny Ace's "Pledging My Love" and Junior Byles' "Beat Down Babylon" (c.1972), and his own compositions, "Go Away Pretty Woman", "What Difference Does It Make" and "Why Is Tomorrow Like Today". In 1975, after adopting the Rastafarian faith through the Twelve Tribes organization, he recorded two of his finest singles, "I Man A Rasta" and "Rastaman Camp", both heavyweight slices of roots Rasta reggae. In the early 70s he worked stage shows as lead singer with the Generation Gap and Soul Syndicate bands and maintained strong links with both sets of musicians throughout his career. The late 70s saw his star rise with excellent singles such as "Jogging" for Tuff Gong, the herbsman anthem "Natural Collie', based around the melody and arrangement of Norman Collins" soul opus, "You Are My Starship", and "Mark Of The Beast", "Leave Yah", and a cover version of George Benson's "Love Ballad", all for Earl "Chinna" Smith. Winston "Niney" Holness produced his debut set, Mr McGregor, and there were further recordings for Studio One including "Homeward Bound", "Come Now Sister", "Africa Here I Come", and the classic Bobby Babylon. In 1979, McGregor was also involved in the production of Judy Mowatt's excellent Black Woman.

Listen to Freddie McGregor at Finetune.

Big Ship
One Love
I See It In You
Ooh Child
United We Stand (feat. Marcia Griffiths)