Dose59's Gems: Derrick Morgan

Derrick Morgan was born 27 March 1940, Mocho, Claredon, Jamaica. Morgan is a musical artist popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He performed Ska, Rock Steady and Skinhead Reggae. In 1957 Morgan entered the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour, a talent show held at the Palace Theatre in Kingston. Morgan entered the recording studio for the first time when Duke Reid was looking for talent to record for his Treasure Isle record label. Morgan cut "Lover Boy", a.k.a. "S-Corner Rock", and "Oh My".

In 1960 Morgan became the only artist ever to fill the places from one to seven on the Jamaican pop chart simultaneously. Among those hits were "Don't Call Me Daddy", "In My Heart", "Be Still", and "Meekly Wait.

In 1961 Morgan released the Leslie Kong production of “Don’t You Know”, later titled “Housewives Choice” by a local DJ. This was a duet with Millicent Patsy Todd.

"Housewives’ Choice" began the legendary rivalry between Morgan and Prince Buster, who accused Morgan of stealing his ideas. Buster quickly released "Blackhead Chiney Man". Morgan returned with the classic "Blazing Fire", in which he warns Buster to "Live and let others live, and your days will be much longer. You said it. Now it’s the Blazing Fire". Buster shot back with, "Watch It Blackhead", which Morgan countered with "No Raise No Praise" and "Still Insist". Followers of the two artists often clashed, and eventually the government had to step in with a staged photo shoot depicting the rivals as friends.

Morgan had a major success in 1962 with "Forward March", a song celebrating Jamaican independence from Great Britain

In the mid-1960s, when Ska evolved into the cooler, more soulful Rocksteady, Morgan continued to release top quality material, including the seminal rude boy classic, "Tougher Than Tough", "Do the Beng Beng", "Conquering Ruler", and a cover of Ben E. King’s hit, "Seven Letters". Produced by Bunny Lee. "Seven Letters" is often cited as the first true reggae single