Don Campbell (musician)

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Don Campbell
OriginLondon, England
Genres Reggae, lovers rock, R&B; Dub music; Roots Reggae
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, guitarist, percussionist, drummer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1980s–present
Labels Jet Star, VP On-U Sound Records

Don Campbell is a British reggae singer from north-west London who featured ( playing drums, percussion and guitar) on Roots reggae and Dub music releases by Creation Rebel, Undivided Roots, Bim Sherman, Prince Far I and Dub Syndicate in the early 1980s, but is best known for his lovers rock records released with Crucial Tony Phillips on his Ruff Cutt label since the mid-1990s.

Contents

Biography

Campbell was a member of Undivided Roots with Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie, Kenton Fish Brown and Crucial Tony Phillips in the 1980s, before embarking on a solo career. In the late 70s and early 80s, using the name Donald "Eek-a-Roo" Campbell, he also recorded with Style Scott's Dub Syndicate,Prince Far I, Bim Sherman and Creation Rebel, playing drums and guitar as well as singing. As Donald "Eek-a-Roo" Campbell, he also released a roots reggae record with Karin Napti, produced by Crucial Tony Phillips for Ruff Cutt. [1] He released his first single as Don Campbell in 1993 and immediately entered the British reggae charts. [2] His first three singles and debut album all topped the charts, and he received six awards at the 1994 British Reggae Industry Awards. [2] He then teamed up with General Saint and released a series of records, including a version of Neil Sedaka's "Oh! Carol", which was a minor UK Singles Chart hit, reaching number 54. [3] They followed this with "Save the Last Dance for Me", which was also a hit, reaching number 75, and "Stop That Train". [1] [3] Their collaborations were collected together on the 1995 album Time on the Move. [1] [2] He has recorded several albums since, recorded a version of the Bee Gees's "Islands in the Stream" with J. C. Lodge, and performed at the Bob Marley Day Festival in Long Beach, California in 2003. [4]

Don Campbell's earlier cultural roots reggae releases with Undivided Roots and Creation Rebel, and his experimental dub music works for Dub Syndicate and On-U Sound Records are held in high regard, considered to exemplify and represent innovative and groundbreaking milestones in the development of British roots reggae, and are, as such, still highly influential, successful, popular, and very much in demand with reggae followers worldwide.

Discography

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Mensah, Kennedy (1995) "U.K. Pair Are 'On The Move'", Billboard , 22 April 1995, p. 64. Retrieved 19 September 2009
  2. 1 2 3 Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN   0-7535-0242-9, p. 50
  3. 1 2 General Saint featuring Don Campbell, Official Charts
  4. Jackson, Kevin (2003) "J'can stars, British crew shine brightly at Bob Marley Day Festival [ permanent dead link ]", Jamaica Observer , 18 February 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2009