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Artist Profile
Alton Ellis
Sep 1, 1938 ~ Oct 10, 2008
Alton Ellis was, beyond any doubt, Jamaica’s most soulful singer ever and his influence on the development of Jamaican music through his matchless singing and song-writing is profound.
>>Featured Page
Real name:
Alton Nehemiah Ellis
Place of birth:
Jamaica
Kingston
Mr Soul Of Jamaica, born Alton Nehemiah Ellis in Western Kingston 1st September 1938, not only possessed one of the most expressive voices in Jamaican music full of emotion, exuberance and love but also wrote some of the finest and most memorable songs in the history of reggae. He regarded himself primarily as an interpreter of other people's material although Alton's self deprecation was typical of a man who did more to fashion the fabric of reggae music than many other, more celebrated, performers.

Alton came from a musical family and his younger sister, Hortense Ellis, appeared in six semi finals and four finals of the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour. Alton also triumphed in Vere Johns' legendary talent contests but for his dancing prowess rather than his singing skills.

"I win a couple of contests dancing and then switch to singing... in those days you have a lot of harmony singers in pair: Higgs & Wilson, Blues Busters, Charmers, Clarendonians, Melodians."

In the early sixties Alton formed a partnership with Eddy Perkins; the pair wrote a heart rending ballad, 'Muriel', and took the song to Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd(CS Dodd) who recorded it and released it on his Worldisc label. It was a huge hit which they followed up with 'My Heaven'. Alton and Eddy also recorded 'Let Me Dream' and 'Love Divine' for Vincent Chin(VIncent 'Randy' Chin)'s Randy's(Randys) label in a similar lachrymose style. At this time no-one saw the nascent Kingston music scene as a long term prospect and these fledgling singers, with their shared love of music, wanted nothing more than to become well known local personalities.

"You are a guy from the ghetto and you want to be on the radio, the TV, to be on the Christmas morning big concert. It really was the recognition."

Eddy Perkins departed for a solo career and Alton started to work for Dodd's arch rival Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label as lead singer of Alton & The Flames. As rock steady came to prominence in 1966 Alton became the undisputed leader in this brand new musical field and Treasure Isle the undisputed top studio and record label. Rock steady allowed singers, influenced by American harmony groups such as The Impressions, to express themselves in a uniquely Jamaican way. Alton's 'Rock Steady' seven inch release was one of the first ever records to use the term and his long playing 'Mr Soul Of Jamaica' for Duke Reid is rightly regarded by the cognoscenti as the definitive rock steady album.

He was one of the first Jamaican singers whose songs reflected local social issues and, while others remained ambivalent towards the lawless behaviour of the rude boys, Alton put himself in the firing line and issued a series of records, including 'The Preacher' and 'Blessings Of Love', that condemned their anti social behaviour. In 'Dance Crasher' he urged the rude boys to do something constructive with their lives and, instead of committing acts of negative violence, to be more like local hero boxer Bunny Grant. But taking a stand like this in the volatile area of Kingston where Alton lived only served to make him another rude boy target.

"Then I got threatened a couple of times. Living in Trench Town and being in that environment amongst the people and being an artist I'm easy to get at. So I tell Duke Reid I would refrain from singing these types of songs..."

In 1967 Alton was persuaded by Coxsone, now running his powerful Studio One organisation, to become the featured vocalist, alongside Ken Boothe, for The Soul Vendors UK Tour and Alton left Duke Reid and re-recorded many of his Treasure Isle hits for Coxsone. The tour was an unqualified success and Alton, Ken and The Soul Vendors returned to Kingston in triumph. Alton now began work on a series of recordings at Studio One that would enhance his reputation still further; some of his best work from this period can be found on three essential Studio One albums: 'Alton Ellis Sings Rock & Soul', 'The Best Of Alton Ellis' and 'Sunday Coming'. Many were autobiographical love songs about his wife Pearl and the heartbreak he endured when they broke up: one his most beautiful songs, 'I'm Still In Love With You(I'm Still In Love)', was sung as a direct appeal to Pearl.

"I back off from that type of recording and go back to more loving sounds. But of course love is a fact too and a serious fact... It's easier for me to sit down and write a song about love than about other situations. I feel it more and express it more. I think it's in my nature... And most of these songs are a story I'm telling about my life... it's personal."

As the sixties drew to a close Alton began to freelance for a number of different producers. He interspersed romantic songs including 'I'll Be Waiting' for Winston 'Techniques' Riley(Winston Riley) and 'Too Late To Turn Back Now' for Clive Chin at Randy's(Randys) with more socially conscious 'reality' lyrics such as 'Back To Africa' and 'Deliver Us' for Lloyd 'The Matador' Daley(Lloyd Daley). He returned to his anti rude boy stance and admonished them once again in 'Big Bad Boy' for Keith Hudson's Mafia label.

He came to England in 1972 to record for Herb Alpert & Jerry Moss' prestigious A & M label and, after the release of 'Sho Be Do Be Do (I Love You)', Alton took up permanent residence in London where he added immeasurably to the capital's reggae scene. He recorded sparingly but nurtured the careers of others including Janet Kay at the beginning of her rise to 'Queen Of Lovers Rock'. Alton also organised annual Rock Steady Gala shows held at the Hammersmith Palais over the Easter holidays in the nineties which showcased the cream of sixties Jamaican talent in a superbly sequenced setting. In 2004 Alton was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition for his services to the music business. Four years later, on 10th October 2008, he died of cancer of the lymph glands in West London's Hammersmith Hospital.

He continues to inspire a singular love and devotion amongst reggae devotees but, outside of reggae, people are aware of his music but remain unaware of the creator. 'I'm Still In Love With You(I'm Still In Love)' inspired Althea & Donna's 1977 worldwide smash 'Uptown Top Ranking' for Joe Gibbs(Joel Gibson) and the song was returned to in 2004 by Sean Paul and Sasha; their version remained on the Billboard charts for six months. 'Mad Mad' another huge hit from Alton's Studio One sojourn became a dance hall staple in the eighties after Michigan & Smiley deejayed the rhythm as 'Diseases' for Henry 'Junjo' Lawes. In the nineties it went on to become a hip hop staple sampled by KRS One and The Notorious B.I.G. amongst many others. To call his work influential, even seminal, barely hints at the truth.

Alton Ellis is a giant but a giant who is nowhere near as well regarded as his myriad musical achievements deserve. During his lifetime he learned to accept this lack of recognition with a proud yet world weary resignation but, had he worked in any other musical genre, he would be universally revered as a towering presence for shaping and making music as we now know it .
 
Related artist(s):
Ken Boothe
John Holt
Hortense Ellis
Derloy Wilson
Label Profile
Treasure Isle
Treasure Isle was not only the home of some of the best ska, greatest rock steady and groundbreaking reggae but was also the birthplace of the deejay and dub phenomenon.
>>Featured Page
 
Hit title(s)
CD One Life To Live - Treasure Isle
¥2080
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LP Greatest Hits - Treasure Isle
¥1680
No Stock
LP Birth Of Ska - Treasure Isle
¥1480
No Stock
LP Hottest Hits Volume 1 - Treasure Isle
¥1680
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LP Hottest Hits Volume 3 - Treasure Isle
¥2080
No Stock
LP Hottest Hits Volume 2 - Treasure Isle
¥1680
No Stock
LP Mr. Soul Of Jamaica - Treasure Isle
¥1680
No Stock
LP Little Did You Know - Treasure Isle
¥1480
No Stock
LP On The Beach: Rock Steady Beat - Treasure Isle UK
¥1980
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LP Version Galore - Treasure Isle
¥1780
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vinyl 7" Black Bird Singing - Treasure Isle
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" Duke Of Earl - Treasure Isle (other)
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" You Make Me Happy - Treasure Isle
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" Stealing - Treasure Isle UK
¥840
No Stock
vinyl 7" Loving Pauper - Treasure Isle UK
¥840
No Stock
vinyl 7" Come On Little Girl - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" You Don't Care - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" Queen Majesty - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" I've Lost That Love - Treasure Isle
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" La La Means I Love You - Treasure Isle UK
¥900
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vinyl 7" Girl I've Got A Date (B: Lonely Street) - Treasure Isle UK
¥800
No Stock
vinyl 7" Carry Go Bring Come - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" Last Train To Expo 67 - Treasure Isle UK
¥800
No Stock
vinyl 7" Breaking Up - Treasure Isle UK
¥900
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vinyl 7" I'm In The Mood - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" Why Birds Follow Spring - Treasure Isle
¥600
No Stock
vinyl 7" Do It Right - Treasure Isle UK
¥800
No Stock
vinyl 7" Don't Stay Away - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" Right Track - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" Perfidia - Treasure Isle
¥850
No Stock
vinyl 7" Ali Baba - Treasure Isle (other)
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" Tide Is High - Treasure Isle (other)
¥800
No Stock
vinyl 7" On The Beach - Treasure Isle (other)
¥700
No Stock
vinyl 7" Stranger At Your Door - Treasure Isle US
¥840
No Stock
vinyl 7" Happy Go Lucky Girl - Treasure Isle (other)
¥600
No Stock
vinyl 7" Ba Ba Boom - Treasure Isle (other)
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" Rock Steady - Treasure Isle (other)
¥570
No Stock
vinyl 7" Don't Touch My Tomato - Treasure Isle US
¥850
No Stock
>>Best seller(s)
 
Hit series
Hottest Hits
 
Related label(s):
Studio One
High Note
Gay Feet
Artist Index
Label Index
Rhythm Index
Producer Index

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Description of item
[All Items] → [7"] → [Ska / Rocksteady] → [Rock Steady] → [Alton Ellis]
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vinyl 7" 7"
Alton Ellis / Melodians
La La Means I Love You / Passion Love
Treasure Isle UK
La La Means I Love You/Precious
¥900 (US$9.47)
Rating: 12345

No.2 at Total Ranking on Oct 8, 2008.

No.1 at Genre Ranking on Jan 4, 2009.

No.1 at Sub Genre Ranking on Jan 4, 2009.

No.1 at Format Ranking on Oct 18, 2008.

Genre: Ska / Rocksteady
Sub Genre: Rock Steady
Produced by: Duke Reid
Approx. year: 1968/1970
Date added: May 29, 1999
Date re-stocked: May 7, 2013
Country: England
Catalog number: TIS 052
Music type: Rocksteady B: Vocal
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SIDE A:
listen La La Means I Love You
SIDE B:
listen Passion Love
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Customer review
Rating: 12345
AltonもヤバイがMelodiansがこれまたヤバイ！ 現場で必ずかけてます。
Reviewer: BUDDHA
Rating: 12345
ずーっとさがしてました!!再発ほんと嬉しいです↑↑
Reviewer: しんすけ
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