Home / Biography / Shenley Duffus

Shenley Duffus

Biography

It’s surprising just how many of Jamaica’s biggest titles from your ’60s have already been thus ignored from the archivists, and therefore remain little known from the isle. Shenley Duffus is really a primary example — with an extended string of well-known singles to his name but no recording to concrete his popularity, he’s been relegated to some smattering of compilations, even while he continuing to attract crowds back correct up to his loss of life in 2002. Given birth to on Feb 10, 1938, in Roland Field, Jamaica, Duffus grew up between Spanish City and Kingston. Neighboring schoolgirls had been the first ever to place the youngster’s skill, stimulating him to sing the blues. He was 12 when he produced his stage debut on the Crystal Theater in Spanish City, and following that it had been off towards the skill circuit. In 1958, Simeon L. Smith took Duffus into Government Studio room and oversaw his initial recordings, although they weren’t pressed for discharge until the following 10 years. “Over & Over” found its way to 1961, as do a duet using the singularly called Anette — “Mil Dollar Baby”/”FIRST-TIME I Met You.” The last mentioned 45 was found by Blue Defeat within the U.K., and in addition saw release within the U.S., where it became popular. At that time, Coxsone Dodd got currently lured Duffus to his steady. The singer’s initial cut for the manufacturer was “Just what a Disaster,” directed right at his feuding close friends Derrick Morgan and Prince Buster. A great deal larger was “Fret Man Fret,” another shot in the warring Prince, compiled by Lee Perry, the very first in some strikes the upcoming maker penned for Duffus, many commenting around the Prince Buster/Leslie Kong battle. In 1963, maybe uninterested in the fight, Duffus connected up with Vincent “Ruler” Edwards, and unleashed another string of well-known singles, included in this “Rukumbine,” “Digging a Ditch,” and “Wager You Don’t Understand.” Shifting, in 1965 the vocalist documented a clutch of good boogies for Theo Beckford’s recently launched Ruler Pioneer label. In the dawn from the reggae age group Duffus joined causes with Cornel Campbell to front side the newly created Now Generation music group. The group’s live function kept the vocalist occupied, but Lee Perry lured him back to the studio room in 1972. His re-recording of “Wager You Don’t Understand” was among the clutch of “Defeat Down Babylon” variations the Upsetter oversaw that 12 months. It hardly rippled the waters at that time, but 25 years later on, because of the insertion of an individual collection sung in Amharic, the track became an instantaneous strike in Egypt. By 1972, Duffus was having much less fortune as Perry forced him into trimming addresses, and “By the end,” “Goodnight My Like,” and “Sincerely” all dropped flat. Their last recording, nevertheless, a cover of William Bell’s “To be always a Enthusiast,” was different — it had been to become not merely Perry’s biggest strike of the entire year, but Duffus’ most widely used 45 ever. But also Perry appeared to possess shortchanged the vocalist, and Duffus’ came back to the level and rarely still left, eventually getting a content niche market with oldies supporters. Although a set of self-produced singles found its way to the first ’80s, the vocalist obviously recommended the stage towards the studio room. He continued executing live correct up to his loss of life at 64 from center failure. An exceptionally flexible performer, Duffus hardly ever lost his like for the blues, and brought some it to all or any his music.

Quick Facts


Music Songs Rukumbine, To Be A Lover, Digging A Ditch, He's Coming Down, Bet You Don't Know, Stumbling Block, Gather Them In, To Be Your Lover, Saturday Night Rock, Standing on the Hill, Saturday Night Boogie, Black Girl in My Bed, Good Night My Love, Sincerely, Peace, The End, Over and Over, Million Dollar Baby, At the End

Check Also

Charles “Honeyman” Otis

Charles Otis is a significant physique in blues drumming, his impact spreading as an overturned …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.