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| 1949 - |
| Place of Birth: |
Kingston
Jamaica |
Related Artist(s):
Techniques
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"He was a very cool youth... Pat Kelly is one of the greatest singers ever." Bunny Striker Lee
Pat Kelly, born 1944 Kingston, Jamaica worked part time alongside Lloyd 'Prince Jammy' James at Chin's Radios in downtown Kingston while studying Electrical Engineering at Kingston Technical High School. He was awarded a scholarship which took him to Springfield, Massachusetts in the USA for three years and he graduated with a degree in Advanced Electronics. On his return to Kingston Pat formed a group called The Sheridons alongside Winston Francis, Owen Roberts and Edwin Brown who recorded two singles for bandleader Carlos Malcolm's Up Beat label, 'Merry Christmas' and 'This Is My Last Letter', before disbanding in 1967. Pat was then drafted into The Techniques to replace Slim Smith who had left the group to form The Uniques.
The Techniques' adaptation of The Impressions' 'You'll Want Me Back' entitled 'You Don't Care' with Pat singing lead was a massive hit and spent six weeks at Number One in the Jamaican charts. The Curtis Mayfield songbook was turned to once again when The Techniques sang over 'Minstrel & Queen' as 'Queen Majesty'. Both have been versioned over time and time again and both of these bona fide Bond Street classics have subsequently assumed legendary status in Jamaican music. With Pat on lead vocals The Techniques enjoyed some of their biggest hits at Treasure Isle, including 'My Girl', 'Love Is Not A Gamble and 'It's You I Love'.
"Pat Kelly's tune at the time was 'How Long'... he made other hits but he never made a bigger tune than 'How Long'" Bunny Striker Lee
His first solo recording was 'Somebody's Baby' for Bunny Striker Lee in 1968 but Pat's career took off in a big way the following year when he recorded 'How Long Will It Take' for Striker in the brand new faster reggae style. This was one of the first Jamaican records to feature an overdubbed string arrangement for its London release on Pama's Gas subsidiary in 1969. Pat then hit again with his version of John D. Loudermilk's 'Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye' which was re-titled 'If It Don't Work Out'. Both of these huge hits were featured on 'Pat Kelley Sings', an early Pama album release produced by Striker and engineered by Lee 'Scratch' Perry(Lee Perry), alongside versions of classic soul tracks including 'Dark End Of The Street' and 'Tracks Of My Tears'.
Pat toured the UK in December 1969 where The Beatles reputedly tried to sign him to their newly formed Apple label with a £25,000 contract but, unfortunately, Pat was unable to do so because of his existing contractual commitments. On his return to Jamaica Pat continued to make hit records including 'Soulful Love' and 'Talk About Love' for Phil Pratt and he enjoyed another big hit with his cover of John Denver's 'Sunshine' for Duke Reid. At the close of the decade the beautiful 'It's A Good Day', released on a Joe Gibbs disco mix, was another classic record.
During the Seventies Pat also freelanced as a recording engineer at Randys, Channel One and at King Tubby's studios. He took over at Tubby's as a 'temporary' replacement for 'Prince' Philip Smart when Philip emigrated to the USA in 1975 and Pat worked on and off at Dromilly Avenue until the end of the decade. Very few of his mixes are credited but the superb version side, by I Pat, of 'Trod Along (Zion Pathway) by Ricky Storme (I Kong) on the Earth label gives an indication of his prowess at the controls.
Although he is one of Jamaica's finest singers Pat Kelly recorded sparingly throughout his career. His smooth, sophisticated vocal style was often at odds with the roots music that defined the Seventies and the rough and rugged dance hall style of the Eighties but the beauty of his compact catalogue, consisting entirely of classic records, has ensured that his popularity has never waned. |
| Feb 16, 2012 Text by Harry Hawks
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