Rupie Edwards - Biography

Biography

Rupie Edwards, an only child, moved to Kingston in 1958, where he set up his first band while still at school. His first recording was "Guilty Convict" b/w "Just Because", for L.S. 'Little Wonder' Smith in 1962, released on Melodisc's Blue Beat label in the UK, and was paid £15 for the session. After recording a few singles, he became involved with the Virtues and, from 1968, started to focus only on his own productions.

By the beginning of the 1970s, apart from releasing singles as a singer, he had recorded artists like The Heptones, Bob Andy, Johnny Clarke, Joe Higgs, Gregory Isaacs and The Ethiopians on his own record labels 'Success' and 'Opportunity'. He also worked with DJs such as U-Roy and I-Roy, and released some instrumental versions with his studio band, The Rupie Edwards All Stars. The group included musicians such as saxophonist Tommy McCook, trombone player Vin Gordon, drummer Carlton 'Santa' Davis, guitarist Hux Brown, pianist Gladstone Anderson, bassist Clifton 'Jackie' Jackson and organist Winston Wright.

In 1974 and 1975, he scored hits in the UK Singles Chart with "Ire Feelings" and "Leggo Skanga". Both tracks were based on the same riddim and an album containing new and older materials was released in 1975. In 1985, Trojan Records rounded up a full LP Ire Feelings - Chapter and Version composed entirely around this riddim, which had originally been cut by Edwards for, and voiced by, Johnny Clarke, for his Everyday Wondering.

After these successes, Edwards moved to London, and since then has kept on producing and recording. He co-wrote "Big 7" with Judge Dread; "Buttoo" and "Lonely Man" with Gregory Isaacs; and singularly composed "Buckshot Dub", recorded both by King Tubby and Bill Laswell.