The Kingstonians

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The Kingstonians
OriginKingston, Jamaica
GenresRocksteady, reggae
Years active1966 (1966)–1970 (1970)
Past membersCebert "Jackie" Bernard
Lloyd "Footy" Bernard
Lloyd Kerr

The Kingstonians were a Jamaican rocksteady/reggae vocal group best known for their late 1960s recordings for producer Derrick Harriott.

History[edit]

Formed in 1966, the group comprised Cebert "Jackie" Bernard, his brother Lloyd "Footy" Bernard, and Lloyd Kerr.[1] They first recorded for producer J.J. Johnson, and had their first hit with "Winey Winey" in 1967. Between 1968 and 1970 they recorded for producer Derrick Harriott, and had chart-topping singles with "Singer Man" (later covered by Three Dog Night and UB40) and "Sufferer".[2] The group's only album released while they were together, Sufferer, was released in 1970 on Trojan Records, and featured material recorded for Harriott.[1] They went on to record with other producers including Leslie Kong and Rupie Edwards before splitting up in the early 1970s.[1][3]

The group's primary songwriter Jackie Bernard pursued a solo career, with several releases credited to Jackie Bernard & the Kingstonians. He recorded "Economic Crisis" for Lee "Scratch" Perry in the late 1970s under the pseudonym 'Jack Lord'.[4]

Jackie Bernard fell on hard times and became ill with diabetes; Unable to afford medication, a foundation was set up in 2014 to provide him with financial assistance.[5] He died from pneumonia on 14 September 2014, aged 66.[2]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

  • Sufferer (1970), Trojan - reissued 1991

Singles[edit]

  • "Winey Winey" (1967), Rio
  • "Mix It Up" (1968), Trojan
  • "Mommy and Daddy" (1968), Doctor Bird
  • "Fun Galore" (1968), Doctor Bird
  • "Put Down Your Fire" (1968), Doctor Bird
  • "Mother Miserable" (1968), Coxsone
  • "Make You a Woman", Studio One
  • "Nice Nice" (1969), Big Shot
  • "Singer Man" (1969), Big Shot
  • "The Clip" (1969), Crab
  • "I am Just a Minstrel" (1969), Bullet
  • "I'm Gonna Make It" (1969), Beverley's
  • "Hold Down" (1969), Crab
  • "Rumble Rumble" (1970), Song Bird
  • "Out There" (1970), Song Bird
  • "Love Is the Greatest Science" (2011), Caltone
  • "You Don't Remember Me" (2012), Tennors
Jackie Bernard/Jackie Bernard & the Kingstonians
  • "Way Down in the Ghetto" (1973), Leal
  • "Jah Children" (1974), Wambesi
  • "Never Changing Harmony" (1975), Stun King
  • "Original Style" (1975), Tough Jack

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Leggett, Steve "The Kingstonians Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved 20 September 2014
  2. ^ a b Campbell, Howard (2014) "Jackie Bernard Is Dead", Jamaica Observer, 19 September 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014
  3. ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 978-0313331589, p. 169
  4. ^ Katz, David (2006) People Funny Boy, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-1846094439, p. 290
  5. ^ Grizzle, Shereita (2014) "Tough Times for a Kingstonian", Jamaica Gleaner, 2 February 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014
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