Coxsone Dodd
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(November 2009) |
Coxsone Dodd | |
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 Dodd at Studio One, Brooklyn | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Clement Seymour Dodd |
| Also known as | Sir Coxsone |
| Born | 26 January 1932 Kingston,Jamaica |
| Origin | Kingston,Jamaica |
| Died | 4 May 2004(aged 72) Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer |
| Labels | Studio One,Coxsone, Tabernacle |
Clement Seymour"Coxsone"DoddCD(26 January 1932 – 4 May 2004) was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development ofskaandreggaein the 1950s, 1960s and beyond.
He was nicknamed "Coxsone" at school due to his talent as acricketer(his friends compared him toAlec Coxon,a member of the 1940sYorkshire County Cricket Clubteam).[1]
Biography
[edit]TheKingston-born Dodd used to play records to the customers in his parents' shop. During a spell in theAmerican Southhe became familiar with therhythm and bluesmusic popular there at the time. In 1954, back in Jamaica, he set up the Downbeat Sound System, being the owner of anamplifier,aturntable,and some US records, which he would import fromNew OrleansandMiami.
With the success of hissound system,and in a competitive environment, Dodd would make trips through the US looking for new tunes to attract the Jamaican public.[2]While he did, his motherDoris Darlingtonwould run the sound system and play the tunes. Dodd opened five different sound systems, each playing every night. To run his sound systems, Dodd appointed people such asLee "Scratch" Perry,who was Dodd's right-hand man during his early career,U-RoyandPrince Buster.[3]Perry would later leave Dodd in 1966 due to Perry feeling disrespected by Dodd. This is documented in the 1966 songThe Upsetter.
Recording career
[edit]When the R&B craze ended in the United States, Dodd and his rivals were forced to begin recording their own Jamaican music in order to meet the local demand for new music.[2]
In 1959, he founded a record company called Worldisc. In 1962, he produced thejazzrecord "I Cover the Waterfront"on thePort-O-Jamlabel, two of the musicians who played on the album,Roland AlphonsoandDon Drummondbecame founding members of theSkatalitesone year later.[2]In 1963, he openedStudio Oneon Brentford Road, Kingston.[2][4]It was the first black-owned recording studio in Jamaica. He held regular Sunday evening auditions in search of new talent, and it was here that Dodd auditionedBob Marley,singing as a part ofThe Wailers.
In the early 1960s, Dodd was producingskahits byToots and the Maytals,the Gaylads,andthe Skatalites.[5]
Dodd's "You're Wondering Now", was initially recorded in 1964 by Andy & Joey in Jamaica[6]and later covered byThe Skatalites,The SpecialsandAmy Winehouse;it was also used as the theme tune for the British-French crime drama television seriesDeath in Paradise.
During the late 1960s and 1970s, the "Studio One sound" was synonymous with the sound ofska,rocksteadyandreggae,and Dodd attracted some of the Jamaican new musicians, includingBurning Spear,Ras Michael,Delroy Wilson,Horace Andy,Sound Dimension, andSugar Minott.[2][7]
In the mid-1980s, Dodd closed his studio and moved his base of operations toNew York City.[8]
Honours
[edit]In 2002 he was awarded a GoldMusgrave Medalby theInstitute of Jamaica.[9]
Last years and death
[edit]He continued to be active in themusic industryinto his seventies, and on 1 May 2004, Kingston's Brentford Road was renamed Studio One Boulevard in a ceremony which paid tribute to his accomplishments as a producer. He died suddenly of aheart attackthree days later, aged 72, while working at Studio One.[4]He was survived by his wife, Norma, who passed in 2010.[10]
Dodd was posthumously awarded theOrder of Distinction,in the rank of Commander on 15 October 2007, for service to the Jamaica music industry.[11]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^When journalist Roger Steffens asked Dodd about the spelling of his name, he asserted that it was "Coxson" without the 'e' found on the spelling of the record label "Coxsone". Steffens referenced this anecdote inThe Beatmagazine andThe Reggae Scrapbook(Insight Editions, San Rafael, CA, 2007), p. 33.
- ^abcdeColin Larkin,ed. (1997).The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music(Concise ed.).Virgin Books.pp. 382/3.ISBN1-85227-745-9.
- ^"Prince Buster".Thetimes.co.uk.10 September 2016.Retrieved13 October2019.
- ^abKelefah Sannah (6 May 2004)."Coxsone Dodd, 72, Pioneer of the Jamaican Pop Music Scene, Dies".New York Times.
- ^Katz, David."Obituary: Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd",TheGuardian, 5 May 2004; retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^"Andy & Joey – You're Wondering Now / You'll Never".Discogs.Zink Media, Inc.Retrieved23 February2018.
- ^"Sugar Minott Showcase, by Sugar Minott".Studioone.bandcamp.Retrieved13 October2019.
- ^Colin Larkin,ed. (1994).The Guinness Who's Who Of Reggae.Guinness Publishing (UK). p. 75.ISBN0-85112-734-7.
- ^"Musgrave Awardees".Institute of Jamaica. Archived fromthe originalon 18 October 2014.Retrieved6 February2015.
- ^"NORMA DODD WAS a pillar of strength to Studio One".jamaicaobserver.Retrieved6 September2017.
- ^"Hundreds Turn out for National Awards Ceremony".Jamaica Information Service. 15 October 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 19 March 2012.Retrieved31 August2011.
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