Stanley Beckford

Stanley Beckford (1942–2007) was a Jamaican born mento singer, songwriter, and four time Jamaica Independence Festival song contest winner who recorded as a solo artist and with the bands The Starlights/Starlites, Stanley and the Turbines, and Stanley and the Astronauts.

Early life

Beckford was born in the north-eastern Jamaican parish of Portland. His mother died during his infancy. At seven, following the death of his father, he was raised by his grandparents, between the west Kingston ghetto areas of Greenwich Farm and Maxfield Avenue. He began singing in the local Church of God, and became choir leader, while neighbour Carlton Smith taught him guitar. Beckford gained recognition outside the church by winning one of journalist and radio presenter Vere Johns's talent contests at west Kingston's Majestic theatre.

In 1968 Beckford joined a neighbourhood reggae band, Soul Syndicate, but his high-pitched, nasal timbre and mento-influenced style did not fit with its focus. He was soon ousted, and subsequently he became a telephone company night watchman.

1970s And Beyond

Working one night in 1973, and witnessing an arrest, Beckford wrote "You are a Wanted Man" – which impressed producer Alvin "GG" Ranglin when Beckford gave an audition. Recorded with his band the Starlites (later credited as The Starlights), the song's mento-styled vocal bucked urban reggae trends and went straight to number one in the Jamaican charts. The group had further hits with "Healing in the Barnyard", "Hold My Hand", and "Mama Dee". His biggest hit was the lewd "Soldering" (1975), banned by Jamaican radio, which prompted vinyl ripostes from Big Youth, I-Roy, and Jah Lloyd. In 2000 "Fi Wi Island A Boom" won the Jamaica festival song contest, this time credited to Beckford as a solo artist,

Death Stanley was diagnosed with throat cancer and battled it for four years. Towards the end of 2006, Beckford underwent radiotherapy treatment at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He is survived by his wife, five daughters and two sons. On 30 March 2007 he died at his Riversdale home in St. Catherine. According to his wife, Thelma, she is trying her best to deal with her loss. "Is just me alone, I feel it. He died at home on our bed about 3:00 this afternoon (Friday). He died in my arms. I was shaking him, saying, Stanley, Stanley, but then I saw the blood running from his nose, there was nothing I could do," Mrs. Beckford said.

Discography

Solo Gypsy Woman (1979), GG's Stanley Beckford Plays Mento (2003), Barclay Reggaemento (2004), Totou

with The Starlights Soldering: Reggae's Greatest Hits (1993), Heartbeat

with The Turbines Big Bamboo (1981), GG's Leave Mi Kisiloo, Dynamic Sounds Brown Gal, Tuff Gong

Compilations Africa (1996), Lagoon