Justin Hinds, born 7 May 1942, died 16 March 2005.
The beginning of Jamaican singer Justin Hinds’ career was an incredible kickstart. „Carry Go Bring Come“ was his first recording with Duke Reid, done in late 1963 in one take. It topped the Jamaican charts for two months, before The Wailers took over with “Simmer Down”. Loads of hits followed in the next years, the tunes Justin Hinds recorded for Duke Reid included “King Samuel”, “Jump Out of the Frying Pan”, “The Ark” and “Rub Up Push Up”.
In 1966, he turned to rocksteady, with hits like “The Higher the Monkey Climbs”, “No Good Rudie”, “On a Saturday Night”, “Here I Stand” and “Save a Bread”. Hinds parted company with Reid in 1972 as an artist, but was present when he died a few years later.
If you want to check out some of his later recordings, start with „Jezebel“ from 1976. I soulful roots reggae great.
But all the cool tunes he recorded seem to be overshadowed by the kickstart, the historic hit „Carry Go Bring Come.“ It has been covered innumerable times, most notably by The Selecter on their debut album, also the introduction for a new generation to the music of Justin Hinds.
Other versions were published by Desmond Dekker and The Specials on „King of Kings“.
Justin Hinds died in March 2005 of lung cancer at the age of 62.
What was your first introduction to the music of Justin Hinds?
I’d like to tell mine. It was the compilation „Intensified“, a double album released around the time of the 2Tone explosion that brought together many of early 60s ska hits. „Carry Go Bring Come“ was on it, but accredited to an artist called The Charms. Maybe some experts out there know why this is so.
Music:
Intensified Compilation (LP) (affiliate link)
Justin Hinds, Jezebel (1976) (cd) (affiliate link)
book source: Bass Culture (When Reggae Was King) (affiliate link)
