{"title":"Alton Ellis","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlton Ellis was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, producer, and promoter. Born on September 1st, 1938 in Kingston, Jamaica, he grew up in a musical family and honed his talents as a dancer. He began his musical career in 1959 as part of the duo Alton \u0026amp; Eddy. Ellis went on to record for various labels including Blue Beat and Studio One, where he scored hits like \"I'm Still In Love With You.\" He later formed the group The Flames and released several singles. Known for his soulful voice and contributions to rocksteady music, Ellis became well-distributed through labels like Trojan Records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to his success in Jamaica, Ellis traveled regularly to England and eventually moved there in 1973. He established his own record store called Alltone and continued recording with British producers while touring extensively. In recognition of his contributions to reggae music, he was inducted into the Hall Of Fame at the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) in 2007.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTragically, Alton Ellis passed away on October 10th, 2008 at Hammersmith Hospital in London after battling cancer. His legacy lives on through his timeless music that continues to inspire generations of reggae fans worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"dance-crasher-live-in-london","title":"Dance Crasher Live In London","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlton had one of the sweetest reggae voices veer and here he is filmed and recorded At The Jazz Café, Camden Town, London, 10th August 2008 at Alton Ellis's final show. He died 2 months later at Hammersmith Hospital.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secret Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50382811857227,"sku":"1130032","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50382812119371,"sku":"1030104","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/3d5f4751-4339-4024-a1ec-44eb0aad07b6_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726259832"},{"product_id":"greatest-hits-mr-soul-of-jamaica","title":"Greatest Hits - Mr Soul Of Jamaica","description":"\u003cp\u003eDuring a recording career that spanned some five decades, \u003cstrong\u003eAlton Nehemiah Ellis\u003c\/strong\u003e wrote and recorded some of the most popular and influential ska, rock steady, and reggae recordings of all time. After making his debut in 1960, the immensely talented performer swiftly established a reputation as one of Jamaica’s most popular and revered artistes, recording a catalogue of hit singles, most notably for \u003cstrong\u003eDuke Reid’s\u003c\/strong\u003e famed Treasure Isle Records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1973, a dozen of the singer-songwriter’s Treasure Isle tracks were gathered on \u003cem\u003eMr Soul Of Jamaica\u003c\/em\u003e – a best-selling LP, which concurrently saw issue in the UK as \u003cem\u003eGreatest Hits\u003c\/em\u003e. This seminal album forms the basis of this indispensable 2CD set, which also contains the remainder of \u003cstrong\u003eEllis’s\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDuke Reid\u003c\/strong\u003e-produced output from the mid-Sixties onwards, with the bonus material including a host of long-lost rarities and previously unissued alternate takes!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Doctor Bird","offers":[{"title":"CD | x2.","offer_id":50403137945931,"sku":"1073723","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d5104073-1be0-4485-9194-71a47ff061f9_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726558021"},{"product_id":"valley-of-decision-the-collection-1973-1974","title":"Valley of Decision - The Collection 1973-1974","description":"\u003cp\u003eA wonderful collection of early seventies recordings produced by Alton Ellis himself. High-impact reggae tunes with a great horn section. Alton Nehemiah Ellis OD (1 September 1938 – 10 October 2008) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter. One of the innovators of rocksteady, he was given the informal title \"Godfather of Rocksteady\". In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lantern Rec","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50406738624843,"sku":"2057222","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/8054757320005_9a157810_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726590150"},{"product_id":"mr-soul-of-jamaica","title":"Mr Soul Of Jamaica","description":"\u003cp\u003e1967’s \u003ci\u003eMr Soul of Jamaica\u003c\/i\u003e was the first album by rocksteady star Anton Ellis. As one of the innovators of this genre who was given the informal title “Godfather of Rocksteady” he wrote some original reggae hits which contains a lot of soul. A familiar mix of heated horns, fine harmonies and impressive key works filling the air. The album is packed with some wonderful, melodic songs, ones that will appeal to vintage reggae lovers as well as soul music fans. Ellis is fabulous on every song on this record, including \u003ci\u003eYou Make Me So Very Happy, Why Birds Follow Spring \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eAin’t That Lovin’ You.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"Magenta LP","offer_id":50416439984459,"sku":"2023749","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Orange LP","offer_id":50416439361867,"sku":"1053603","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/9f01ca43-05b1-4a35-b30f-ebc2c6469e19_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1726703559"},{"product_id":"take-a-ride-pearl","title":"Take a Ride \/ Pearl","description":"\u003cp\u003e2 Beautiful Songs from the Studio One Archives from 1978.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio One","offers":[{"title":"12\"","offer_id":50417260134731,"sku":"2028115","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/CLD1203_543efa25_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726723961"},{"product_id":"blackish-white","title":"Blackish White","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlton Ellis’s hypnotic funky roots anthem - a surreal dream of a ‘Blackish White’ coming down. Rarely has such lyricism been heard in reggae music. Bomb tune! 100% essential!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soul Jazz","offers":[{"title":"Black 7\"","offer_id":50425118622027,"sku":"2025038","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/ALTON_ELLIS_Blackish_White_bc235105_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726786952"},{"product_id":"pumping-in-knock-on-wood","title":"Pumping In \/ Knock on Wood","description":"\u003cp\u003eUp tempo Early Reggae \/ Boss Sound,. pressed on 7” vinyl for the first time. About \u003ci\u003ePumping It.\u003c\/i\u003e Original Release Year: 1970 Sometimes mistitled \u003ci\u003ePuping In\u003c\/i\u003e, this song original release is a bit of a mystery... As far as we can track, it was published for the first time on the 2013 compilation Alton Ellis \u003ci\u003eMr Soul Of Jamaica \u003c\/i\u003eon the Treasure Isle label and on two CD compilations on the Doctor Bird label and that’s it. This cracking up-tempo track from 1970 has a heavy guitar work, a killer organ and some real gutsy vocals to boot. The sound and rhythm are quite different from Ellis previous songs and, sign of time, have a distinctive Boss Reggae feel and it really rocks! \u003ci\u003ePumping In\u003c\/i\u003e is an absolute gem that has been badly overlooked up to now. About\u003ci\u003e Knock on Wood\u003c\/i\u003e. Original Release Year: 1972\u003ci\u003e Knock on Wood\u003c\/i\u003e, the Eddy Floyd mega hit, has been covered several times by Alton previously, in a brilliant but rather conservative way. This version though was produced by Joe Gibbs and is totally different. It featured on 2 compilations LPs in 1969 and 1973 but was never issued on a 7\" vinyl previously. In the same vein as \u003ci\u003ePumping In\u003c\/i\u003e but slower, this killer track is a rough, tough reggae cover of the Soul anthem featuring unbelievable vocals from Alston, and a distinctly Boss Sound production from Joe Gibbs. Thrilling! \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harlem Shuffle Records","offers":[{"title":"Black | 7\"","offer_id":50452636238155,"sku":"1096734","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/9f2027c4-25a9-43ae-81d2-0fae96f88d5a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727159121"},{"product_id":"treasure-isle-1966-1968","title":"Treasure Isle 1966- 1968","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlton Ellis is one the finest soulful voices to come out of Jamaica. As well as writing hit singles himself, he could make a cover version known as a foreign tune sound like a Jamaican reggae tune with the greatest of ease. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the more upbeat rhythms of the earlier “Ska” period began to slow down around the turn of 1966 some say due to the extreme heatwave that hit the island of Jamaica that year, slower rhythms suited the people to groove to at the various sound systems and dances. This also allowed the singers to express themselves more and allow the song to shrine through. No one did this better than Alton Ellis. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlton Ellis started off singing at an early stage as part of a duo with singer Eddie Perkins and recorded for both Studio One and Randy’s as Alton and Eddy and had a massive hit with the song \u003ci\u003eMuriel.\u003c\/i\u003e The singing pair went their separate ways with Alton going solo with Studio One and being a much in demand voice also recorded with Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle Studio as Alton Ellis and The Flames. As stated earlier as the beat slowed down the top singers shined through and Alton Ellis reigned supreme. One of his tunes that features on this set \u003ci\u003eGet Ready (Do the Rocksteady)\u003c\/i\u003e even gave this period in reggae’s history its name “Rocksteady”. It’s this fantastic period Rocksteady 1966-1968 that feature on this release. This set carries all the big hits Ain’t That Loving You, Girl I’ve Got A Date, Cry Tuff alongside many more classics. All the cut at Treasure Isle songs that really defined the era. So sit back and enjoy the Rocksteady sound it’s finest....\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLP - 12 Tracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCD - 15 Tracks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kingston Sounds","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50521621102923,"sku":"2226437","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50484130414923,"sku":"1055168","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/e2286104-8451-4fac-b84e-b84601f00819_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727992995"},{"product_id":"many-moods-of","title":"Many Moods Of","description":"\u003cp\u003eA reggae pioneer and icon since the 50s, Alton Ellis inspired many singers of his generation and influenced the genre throughout the decades. As a prolific and multidisciplinary artist, Ellis constantly reinvented himself to deliver high-flying musical content. Critically acclaimed when first released in 1980, \u003ci\u003eMany Moods Of\u003c\/i\u003e is an essential 10-tracker filled with emotion which focuses on the great man’s roots period. Bringing together a stellar line-up of artists and producers, this album represents the epitome of excellence at the time, with a soulful power that still resonates more than forty years on. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e A 1. The Humble Will Stumble 2. Rise And Fall 3. Bless You 4. No Man Is Perfect 5. Mr. Scabina SIDE B 6. Black My Experience 7. Ain’t No Music 8. Pure Sorrow 9. Inside My Soul 10. The Children Are Crying \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Culture Press","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50943035474251,"sku":"2232887","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50943035638091,"sku":"2232889","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Many_Moods_Of_fbe3dd66_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1733509711"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_12b6ba52_thumbnail_4096_5e35920a-5737-42f3-8b64-cba8cd763344.jpg?v=1726259802","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/alton-ellis.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}