Barrington Levy

Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) Levy established his solo career the following year with the release of "A Long Time Since We Don't Have No Love"; In an August 2014 interview with Midnight Raver, record producer Delroy Wright revealed that it was his brother Hyman Wright who first met Barrington Levy in the mid-1970s through Wade "Trinity" Brammer. According to Delroy Wright, Hyman Wright recorded a host of tracks with Barrington Levy prior to introducing him to Henry "Junjo" Lawes. These tracks would eventually appear on the album Bounty Hunter, which was released on the Jah Life record label. Both record producers recorded several singles with the Roots Radics, including "Ah Yah We Deh", "Looking My Love", "Englishman", "Skylarking", "Wedding Ring Aside" and "Collie Weed", all of which became hits and established Levy's career. Levy's next few singles were similarly successful, including "Shine Eye Girl", "Wicked Intention", "Jumpy Girl", "Disco Music", "Reggae Music", "Never Tear My Love Apart", "Jah", "You Made Me So Happy" and "When You're Young and in Love". Levy then recorded several duets with Toyan, Jah Thomas and Trinity, and appeared at Reggae Sunsplash in 1980 and 1981.

By the time his 1980 album Robin Hood was released, Levy was one of the biggest Jamaican stars, and saw his international fame growing as well, especially in the United Kingdom. Levy made his debut as a producer on the rare 1981 showcase album titled Run Come Ya, which was issued on the Canadian Puff Records label.

Taking a break from albums, Levy then released a series of hit singles, including "Mary Long Tongue", "In the Dark", "Too Poor", "I Have a Problem", "Eventide Fire a Disaster", "I'm Not in Love", "You Have It", "Love of Jah", "Under Mi Sensi", "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "Robberman", "Black Roses", "My Woman" and "Money Move". He returned to LPs with Lifestyle and Money Move, followed by a British hit album called Here I Come; Levy received the Best Vocalist prize at the British Reggae Awards in 1984.

In 1998, he released Living Dangerously, which included a collaboration with one of Jamaica's most prolific deejays, Bounty Killer, and with Snoop Dogg. The release was one of Levy's most successful since the start of the 1990s, and saw him finally achieve some success in the US.

In 2004, he contributed to a track on the album White People by Handsome Boy Modeling School, a project by Prince Paul and Dan the Automator. He also did some collaborations with Slightly Stoopid on their 2005 album Closer to the Sun. Most recently, Levy made a guest appearance on the single "No Fuss" by Red-1 of the Rascalz, from his 2007 album Beg For Nothing.

In September 2013, he released the single "Love the Way She Love", a collaboration with Mr. Vegas, and announced an acoustic album featuring new songs and reworkings of old songs such as "Prison Oval Rock" and "Black Roses". His album, Acousticalevy, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2016.

In 2021, Levy was featured on the Gorillaz track "Meanwhile" alongside Jelani Blackman.

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Levy at number 119 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. He performed on the West Holts stage at that year's Glastonbury Festival.

Since 2011 Levy has been working on his album Survivor (the album originally had the working title It's About Time). In 2017 he released the first single from the album, "GSOAT", yet the album remains unreleased.

Personal life Levy's son Krishane is also a musician, and is signed to Atlantic Records.

Levy is a Rastafarian.

Discography Albums Album name Year released Label Bounty Hunter 1979 Jah Life Records Shine Eye Gal 1979 Burning Sounds Shaolin Temple 1979 Jah Guidance Englishman 1979 Greensleeves Records Robin Hood 1980 Greensleeves Records Doh Ray Me 1980 JB Run Come Ya! 1981 Jah Life Records 21 Girls Salute 1982 Jah Life Records Poor Man Style 1983 Trojan Records Barrington Levy's Life Style 1983 GG's Teach Me Culture 1983 Live & Learn Money Move 1983 Powerhouse Here I Come 1984 Greensleeves Records Barrington Levy Meets Frankie Paul (with Frankie Paul) 1984 Arrival Barrington Levy 1984 Clocktower Prison Oval Rock 1985 Volcano Records Open Book 1985 Tuff Gong Records Clash of the 80s (with Cocoa Tea) 1986 Cornerstone Love The Life You Live 1988 TimeVP Records Live and Learn Presents: Beres Hammond & Barrington Levy (with Beres Hammond) 1990 Live and Learn The Barrington Levy Collection 1990 Greensleeves Records Divine 1991 Island Records (sub. division Mango Records) Turning Point 1992 Greensleeves Records Barrington 1993 MCA Records Time Capsule 1996 RAS Records Living Dangerously 1998 Breakaway Records Too Experienced: The Best of Barrington Levy (compilation album) 1998 VP Records DuetsDJ Counteraction 19952000 RAS RecordsGreensleeves Records Under Me Sensi 2000 Greensleeves Records This Is Crucial Reggae: Barrington Levy 2004 RAS Records Sanctuary Records Wanted (CD & DVD) 2005 2B1 Love Your Brother Man: The Early Years (compilation album) 2005 Trojan Records Teach The Youth (Compilation album)Charted at number 10 in the Billboard Reggae album chart 2008 VP Records Sweet Reggae Music (Compilation album) 2012 VP Records Acousticalevy 2015 DDP

Singles "Mini Bus (On the Telephone)", (1984)