Junior Delgado

Oscar Hibbert (25 August 1958 – 11 April 2005), better known as Junior Delgado, was a reggae singer, famed for his roots style.

Biography

Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, he recorded with the group Time Unlimited in the early 1970s before Lee Perry produced his solo recordings. As "Prodigal Son" he recorded social comment song "Tish'an" (short for "politician") for VP's Roots From The Yard imprint in 1975. Delgado's debut solo album Taste of the Young Heart was released in 1978 and showcased his "raw moan" vocal style. He set up his own label Incredible Jux and was a regular visitor to Britain. In 1985 he attracted controversy by releasing "Broadwater Farm", which predicted violence on the north London housing estate. When a riot broke out shortly afterwards, culminating in the murder of PC Keith Blakelock, the record was banned.

Junior continued to release records such as Dance a Dub and various compilations on his own label before a chance meeting with a young music entrepreneur, Jason Knight, who had grown up listening to his records meant a different path for him musically. He recognized Junior's distinct raw style as one of the great voices of reggae and encouraged him to share it with a new generation.

As well as working on his own music, Junior was also involved with the development of new artists such as Spacek and Custom Blue as well as his own stable of emerging Reggae artists such as Yami Bolo and the White Mice.

Delgado was always open-minded and embracing of music and in 1998 released the album Fearless, featuring rapper Maxi Jazz from Faithless and Jerry Dammers of the Specials as well as lots of the new wave of UK electronica stars such as Spacek, Ballistic Brothers, Kid Loops and Naked Funk.

This album was followed in 2000 by Reasons which was produced by the On-U sound system's Adrian Sherwood and featured performances by Doug Wimbish, Skip McDonald and Keith LeBlanc.

Delgado died 11 April 2005 in South London, England. His spokesman said the death had been unexpected but was believed to have been from natural causes. He was survived by his widow Janet, and seven children.^[1]

Delgado was the nephew of Alpha Boys School bandmaster and vibraphone player Lennie Hibbert.^[2]

Discography

• 1978 Dance a Dub (originally released under the artist name Incredible Jux)
• 1979 Effort (re-released as Sisters and Brothers)
• 1979 Taste of the Young Heart
• 1981 More She Love It
• 1982 Bush Master Revolution
• 1984 Classics
• 1986 Moving down the Road
• 1986 Raggamuffin Year
• 1986 Stranger
• 1988 One Step More
• 1991 20 Classic Hits
• 1998 Fearless
• 1998 Hypocrites
• 1999 Reasons
• 2003 Original Guerilla Music
• 2005 Sons of Slaves
• 2005 Invisible Music
• 2009 Hot Stepping

References

External links

• Jamaican Observer Obituary
• Discography
• Junior Delgado at DEB Music
• Incredible Jux on Small Axe