Delroy Washington

Delroy Washington (5 November 1952 – 27 March 2020) was a Jamaican-British reggae singer best known for his releases for Virgin Records in the late 1970s.

Biography Born in Westmoreland, Jamaica, Washington moved with his family to London in the early 1960s. His early experience in the music industry was as a session musician and tour manager. Washington wrote songs with Marley and worked with him on making Marley's lyrics more suitable for European listeners.

He also provided backing vocals on the debut album from Aswad. He continued to record as a solo artist and was one of the first reggae artists signed by Virgin Records in the mid-1970s, his "Give All the Praise to Jah" single became a success on the British reggae charts.

Washington founded the Federation of Reggae Music, which worked with Brent Council to install a blue plaque on the house in Neasden where the Wailers lived in the early 1970s.

Washington was diabetic, but he followed a healthful lifestyle to manage the disease: He was a pescetarian and practiced karate.

Washington died in London on 27 March 2020 from COVID-19.

Discography Albums I Sus (1976), Virgin Rasta (1977), Virgin

Singles "Jah Man a Come" (1973), Lord Koos "Lonely Street" (1973), Count Shelly "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" (1973), Sir Christopher "Freedom Fighters" (1976), Axum "Give All the Praise to Jah" (1977), Virgin - 12-inch "Memories" (1978), Burning Sounds - Delroy Washington & Jah Son "It's Like Magic" (1980), Burning Vibrations - 12-inch "Magic" (1980), Direction Discs/Ballistic - Delroy Washington Band "Cool Rasta" (1980), Ballistic "For Your Love" (1981), Ankh/Pinnacle