Winston Riley

Winston Riley ( born May 14, 1943 in Kingston, † January 19, 2012 in Kingston) was a Jamaican songwriter and music producer of reggae and dancehall music.

Life and work

Winston Riley was born in 1943 in Denham Town neighborhood in Kingston.

Riley's career began in 1962 at the age of 16 years. He founded with a few friends the rocksteady band The Techniques. The first songs the group were produced by Coxsone Dodd for his label Studio One, then later songs by Duke Reid.

In 1964 he founded his own label with the name Techniques Records. The first release on the label was a Dubplate named " My girl " by his band, The Techniques. The song was one of the first productions of Riley. The second release was the single " Who's The Man" of Roots Jamaican singer I- Roy. Other early releases on the label originated among others, Boris Gardiner and Alton Ellis.

In 1968 he left the band, The Techniques, and devoted himself exclusively to music production. 1970 Deejay Johnnie Osbourne on Riley's label with the single " Warrior" had a first commercial hit and thereby made the label famous. However, the Riddim was not derived from Riley. In 1971 he had a self-produced riddim on which the Deejay Dave Barker toasted his song " Double Barrel ", a first international breakthrough. The song achieved first place in the U.K. Charts and the U.S. Top 25 After his second riddim with the name " Monkey Barrel" had similar success, he signed a contract with Trojan Records. With the money earned there he later opened his own record store. 1974 Riley released on his label the Stalag Riddim, one of the world's most famous reggae riddims. On the Riddim been 293 official song appeared. The based on the riddim Riddim albums " Stalag 17 ", " Stalag 18 " and " Stalag 19 " are among the most popular reggae albums of all time.

During the seventies, Riley published many well-known singles and albums and collaborated with many famous Jamaican musicians. Besides Osbourne and Barker, he also produced some of entire albums, among others for Horace Andy, Pat Kelly, Alton Ellis, The Ethiopians and many other famous artists. His seasoned with melody Dubs at that time were all on a high level. Therefore, it found fans irritating that Riley increasingly dealt with newcomers and they promoted. Later the artist quipped, " Someone has to do it well ." In the late seventies he helped the Roots singers General Echo wider recognition. Discovered early eighties and he promoted Sister Nancy, who is known as the first female dancehall deejay.

In the eighties Riley promoted many other artists. These include Lone Ranger, Frankie Paul and Tristan Palmer. 1985 heralded King Jammy with the song "Under Me Sleng Teng " Sleng Teng Riddim on the same the digital age and riddims and songs were produced increasingly electronically. Winston Riley collaborated with Deejay Tenor Saw and produced for him the hit " Ring The Alarm ". The single was released to the house's own Techniques label. Tenor Saw sang for a new digital version of Riley's Stalag Riddim. " Ring the Alarm" is played even today as the sound killer anthem at dancehall parties. Also a big hit was the single " Legal Rights " of 1989. The song was sung as a duet by Jamaican deejays Papa San and Lady G. Since the early 1990s Riley produced a few exceptions only dancehall. He worked at this time with artists such as Super Cat, Cutty Ranks, Gregory Isaacs and Yami Bolo together.

Winston Riley also promoted early Jamaican Deejay Buju Banton and contributed much to his career at. 2007 Riley worked with the English musician Fat Boy Slim and tried his hand as a producer in the Big Beat area.

The music producer Winston Riley was more than 50 years in the music business operates.

Riley was seriously injured in November 2011 during a robbery in his house and was then in a coma until he on 19 January 2012 at the age of 68 years died.

Reception

According to an article in the Jamaican Gleaner Riley is considered one of the greatest reggae producers of all time.