Barry Brown

Barry Brown

Barry Brown (c. 1962, Jamaica - 29 May 2004) was a Jamaican reggae singer, initially coming to prominence in the 1970s with his work with Bunny Lee, but remaining popular throughout his career.

Biography
Barry Brown was one of a number of singers to find success in the 1970s under record producer Bunny Lee. After forming a short-lived group called The Aliens, with Rod Taylor and Johnny Lee, Brown went solo. Although his first release, Girl You're Always on My Mind, had little impact, his vocal style soon found popularity, with his first hit single coming with 1979's Step It Up Youthman, which led to an album of the same name on Paradise Records. One of the most successful artists of the early dancehall era, Brown worked with some of Jamaica's top producers of the time, including Linval Thompson, Winston "Niney The Observer" Holness, Sugar Minott and Coxsone Dodd, as well as releasing self-produced material. He recorded for Studio One in 1983, including Far East. After releasing eleven albums between 1979 and 1984, Brown's releases became more sporadic, although his work continued to feature prominently on sound systems such as those of Jah Shaka, who regularly played out discomix vocal and dub excursions like Scientist and King Tubby's engineered radical polemics, Separation, and Step it up Youthman, the spiritually conscious Enter the Kingdom of Zion ( also known as No Wicked Shall Enter ) and his recut of Linval Thompson 's Cool Down Your Temper, which Barry Brown retitled Cool Pon Your Corner and Natty Roots Man, of which the vocal was partially based on Johnny Clarke's Enter into His Gates With Praise , the dub being a recut of jazz standard Take Five, with Tommy McCook on flute . In 1980, Barry Brown also released the Rockers discomix Natty Dread Nah Run on the Strong Like Samson label with Anthony Johnson (musician) of Mystic I, a musical disc which was in demand amongst the Roots reggae sound system fraternity at the time. In the same year, he teamed up with Jah Thomas to release the Scientist engineered Channel One Studios Discomix, Peace and Love on Keith Stone's Daddy Kool record label out of Dean Street. In the 1990s, Brown's health deteriorated, suffering from asthma and substance abuse problems, and he died in May 2004 in Sone Waves recording studio in Kingston, Jamaica, after falling and hitting his head.

Albums (20)

Compilations (13)

Credits & Appearances (23)

Production
Producer 3
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Stand Firm Barry Brown Stand Firm DSR 0419 LP Justice 1978 1978
Cool Pon Your Corner Barry Brown Cool Pon Your Corner TRLS 191 LP Trojan 1979 1979
Love & Protection Barry Brown Love & Protection CDSGP 0182 CD Prestige 197X-8X 1998
Musicians
Vocals 20

Also Appears On (76)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
All On The Same Rhythm Various Artists All On The Same Rhythm RAS 9002 LP RAS
Dancehall Session Various Artists Dancehall Session RAS 9001 CD RAS
Good Times Skank Various Artists Good Times Skank TJCCD 039 CD Trojan 1963-84 2002
Sound System Rockers Various Artists Sound System Rockers KSCD 001 CD Jamaican Recordings 1969-75 2003
A Place Called Jamaica Part 2 Various Artists A Place Called Jamaica Part 2 MKS 11 CD Makasound 196X-7X 2004
The Trojan Story Vol 1&2 Various Artists The Trojan Story Vol 1&2 TALL 100-200 LP Trojan 196X-7X
From Matador's Arena Vol 3 Various Artists From Matador's Arena Vol 3 JMC 200.224 CD Jamaican Gold 1971-79 1994
The Mighty Striker Shoots At Hits Various Artists The Mighty Striker Shoots At Hits MS 15 CD Moll Selekta 1973-79 2008
Down In A Tenement Yard Various Artists Down In A Tenement Yard TJDDD 352 CD Trojan 1973-80 2007
Too Much Iron In The Fire Blackbeard & Various Artists Too Much Iron In The Fire TJDDD 163 CD Trojan 1974-84 2004
Jah Love Rockers Various Artists Jah Love Rockers TJDDD 143 CD Trojan 1975-80 2003
Punky Reggae Party Various Artists Punky Reggae Party TJDDD 040 CD Trojan 1975-80 2002
Star Artist Various Artists Star Artist TWLP 202 LP Third World 1976 1976
Just The Vibes Mike Brooks & Various Artists Just The Vibes MS 3 CD Moll Selekta 1976-83
The Linval Thompson Trojan Roots Albums Collection Linval Thompson & Various Artists The Linval Thompson Trojan Roots Albums Collection DBCD 044 CD Doctor Bird 1978-79 2019
Wicked A Go Feel It Various Artists Wicked A Go Feel It CDTRL 375 CD Trojan 1978-85 1996
Strong Like Samson Linval Thompson & Various Artists Strong Like Samson MILKCD 9 CD Hot Milk 1979-80 2015
Can't Stop Us Now Linval Thompson & Friends Can't Stop Us Now ES 1011 CD Easy Star 1979-82 2002
Haul & Pull Up Selecta Various Artists Haul & Pull Up Selecta TJDDD 061 CD Trojan 1979-82 2003
Greensleeves 12'' Rulers Various Artists Greensleeves 12'' Rulers GRELCD 608 CD Greensleeves 1979-83 2007
Strong Like Sampson Linval Thompson & Various Artists Strong Like Sampson KPSLSCD 1 CD Jet Star 1979-83 1997
Dancehall Explosion Various Artists Dancehall Explosion CDTRL 430 CD Trojan 1979-85 1999
Dancehall Stylee Various Artists Dancehall Stylee CDTRL 416 CD Trojan 1979-85 1998
Let's Go To The Blues Various Artists Let's Go To The Blues CDTRL 417 CD Trojan 1979-85 1998
12'' Reggae Discomix Showcase Vol. 3 Joe Gibbs 12'' Reggae Discomix Showcase Vol. 3 VPCD 4161 CD 17 North Parade 197X 2009
Heavy Stereo Inna Kingston Town Various Artists Heavy Stereo Inna Kingston Town KSCD 003 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2004
King Tubby Meets The Reggae Masters Various Artists King Tubby Meets The Reggae Masters CD Charm 197X 2001
Mandingo Klassiks Various Artists Mandingo Klassiks MLP 002 LP Mandingo 197X 1989
Ravers Rock Allstars Various Artists Ravers Rock Allstars LP S & K 197X
Real Authentic Reggae Volume One Various Artists Real Authentic Reggae Volume One BBECD 105 CD BBE 197X 2008
Roots Music Various Artists Roots Music KSCD 005 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2005
Roots Of Dance Hall Various Artists Roots Of Dance Hall LUXXCD 006 CD Auralux 197X 2004
Special Request To All Dance Hall Fans Various Artists Special Request To All Dance Hall Fans CD Channel One 197X 2001
Spotlight On Reggae Vol 4 Various Artists Spotlight On Reggae Vol 4 CD Rocky One 197X
Spotlight On Reggae Vol 5 Various Artists Spotlight On Reggae Vol 5 CD Rocky Gibbs 197X
Spotlight On Reggae Vol 7 Various Artists Spotlight On Reggae Vol 7 CD Rocky One 197X
Stand And Give Praise Various Artists Stand And Give Praise SPECXX 2043 CD Trojan 197X 2010
Studio One Dancehall Various Artists Studio One Dancehall SJRCD 281 CD Soul Jazz 197X 2014
Studio One Rub-A-Dub Various Artists Studio One Rub-A-Dub SJRCD 154 CD Soul Jazz 197X 2007
The Park Is Mine Various Artists The Park Is Mine BSICD 55 CD Jackpot 197X 2000
The Park Is Mine Various Artists The Park Is Mine BSLP 055 LP Black Solidarity 197X
Trojan 12" Box Set Various Artists Trojan 12" Box Set TJETD 084 CD Trojan 197X 2003
Trojan Rockers Box Set Various Artists Trojan Rockers Box Set TJETD 338 CD Trojan 197X 2006
Trojan Roots Reggae Boxset Various Artists Trojan Roots Reggae Boxset TJETD 296 CD Trojan 197X 2005
Vintage Classics Various Artists Vintage Classics LP Rohit 197X
Champion Sound Chapter 2 Various Artists Champion Sound Chapter 2 7243 811781 2 6 CD Virgin 197X-0X
Channel One Story Various Artists Channel One Story VPCD 1678 CD VP 197X-8X 2004
Channel One Story Chapter Two Various Artists Channel One Story Chapter Two VPCD 0422 CD VP 197X-8X 2008
Dancehall 2 Various Artists Dancehall 2 SJRCD 223 CD Soul Jazz 197X-8X 2016
Dread Broadcasting Corp. Various Artists Dread Broadcasting Corp. TJDDD 167 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2004
King Jammy In Roots Various Artists King Jammy In Roots LUXXCD 008 CD Auralux 197X-8X 2004
Trojan Dancehall Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Box Set TRBCD 023 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2000
Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set TJETD 243 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set Various Artists Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set TJETD 226 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Ready When You Ready Various Artists Ready When You Ready GUMSCDXX007 CD Smugg 197X-9X 2002
Roots With Quality Niney The Observer Roots With Quality VPCD 4148 CD 17 North Parade 197X-9X 2009
Soul To Soul Vol 1 Various Artists Soul To Soul Vol 1 TRDLP 51980 LP Tad's 1980 1980
Rootsman Vibrations At King Jammy's Various Artists Rootsman Vibrations At King Jammy's VPGS 7000 CD Greensleeves 1980-81 2013
Roots With Quality Niney Roots With Quality DB2CD 145 CD Doctor Bird 1980-83 2024
Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol 1 Various Artists Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol 1 LP Clocktower 1980-84
Dub Landing Scientist Dub Landing VPGS 7052 CD Greensleeves 1981 2018
R. Zee Jackson Presents ''The People's Showcase'' Various Artists R. Zee Jackson Presents ''The People's Showcase'' BZSP 002 LP Beezee Sounds 1981 1981
Greensleeves 12" Rulers Linval Thompson & Friends Greensleeves 12" Rulers GRELCD 616 CD Greensleeves 1981-82 2008
Volcano Eruption Henry Junjo Lawes Volcano Eruption VPCD 4162 CD 17 North Parade 1981-85 2010
Allform Various Artists Allform MAHLP 004 LP Mandingo 1983 1983
Reggae Rockers Various Artists Reggae Rockers DHLP 2007 LP Black Joy 1983 1983
Shining Stars Various Artists Shining Stars JGML 60076 LP Joe Gibbs 1983 1983
Smashing Superstars Various Artists Smashing Superstars STLP 1015 LP Vista 1983 1983
Hidden Treasures Various Artists Hidden Treasures ES 1003 CD Easy Star 198X 1999
Hidden Treasures Vol 2 Various Artists Hidden Treasures Vol 2 ES 1005 CD Easy Star 198X 2000
Reggae All Stars - Tuff Gong Music Various Artists Reggae All Stars - Tuff Gong Music LP 56 Hope Rd. 198X
Roots Rasta Party Various Artists Roots Rasta Party SKCD 018 CD Silver Kamel 198X 2003
Sammy Dread , Linval Thompson, Johnny Osbourne, Wailing Souls Various Artists Sammy Dread , Linval Thompson, Johnny Osbourne, Wailing Souls AALP 46 LP Abraham 198X
Trojan Eighties Box Set Various Artists Trojan Eighties Box Set TJETD 253 CD Trojan 198X 2005
Trojan Rastafari Box Set Various Artists Trojan Rastafari Box Set TRBCD 022 CD Trojan 198X 2000
When The Dances Were Changing Various Artists When The Dances Were Changing PSCD 22 CD Pressure Sounds 198X 1998
33 albums
23 credits
34 labels
1978 - 2020