Freddie McGregor

Freddie McGregor (born 27 June 1956, Clarendon, Jamaica) has been variously a singer, musician and producer. According to Allmusic he is one of reggae’s most durable and soulful singers, with an incredibly steady career that started all the way back in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old.

Biography

In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to form The Clarendonians, and began to record for the Studio One label. McGregor worked with producer Niney the Observer during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1975, McGregor converted to Rastafari, which had a profound impact on his music.[1] He is a member of the Twelve Tribes organization.

His popularity soared in the early 1980s with the release of «Bobby Babylon». Other popular hits of McGregor’s include «Big Ship», «Push Comes to Shove», «Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely» and «I Was Born a Winner»; as well as cover versions of many early reggae standards. He has also worked with producers Junjo Lawes, Linval Thompson, and Gussie Clarke. McGregor has also toured extensively for many years.

In 1984, he inaugurated his own Big Ship label, secured a licensing agreement with RAS Records in U.S. and released Come On Over in 1987.

After slowing his pace in the late 1990s, McGregor returned in 2000 with the acclaimed Signature, which restored his typical balance of roots reggae and lovers rock with touches of dancehall. He followed it two years later with a similarly well-received album, the Grammy nominated, Anything for You.[1]

He established the Big Ship Recording Studio, and has produced many artists including Luciano and Mikey Spice.

One of McGregor’s three sons, Stephen, is a dancehall record producer.

McGregor has spanned nearly every stylistic shift in Jamaican music, from ska and rocksteady to Rastafarian roots reggae to lovers rock (his particular specialty) to dabblings in dancehall, ragga, and dub.
Discography

Albums:

* Bobby Bobylon (1979) Studio One
* Mr. McGregor aka Freddie McGregor (1979) Observer/Jackal/56 Hope Rd/Mercury
* Lovers Rock (Showcase Jamaica Style) (1981) Live & Love
* Showcase (1981) Observer
* Big Ship (1982) Greensleeves/Thompson Sounds
* I Am Ready (1982) Coxsone/Studio One
* Love At First Sight (1982) Intense
* Come On Over (1983) RAS
* Rhythm So Nice (1983) Thompson Sounds
* Across The Border (1984) RAS
* All In The Same Boat (1986) RAS
* Freddie McGregor (1987) Polydor
* Don’t Want To Be Lonely Studio One
* Live at the Town & Country Club (1991) VP
* FM (1992) High Times
* Live in London 1991 (1993) Charly
* Roots Man Skanking Clocktower
* Sing Jamaican Classics Vol.1
* Jamaican Classics Vol.2 (1998) Big Ship
* Magic In The Air (1999) Big Ship
* Zion Chant (1999) Heartbeat
* Signature (2000) VP
* Rumours (2000) Greensleeves
* Carry Go Bring Come (2000) Greensleeves
* Hard to Get (2000) Greensleeves
* Forever My Love (2000) RAS
* Push On (2002) Big Ship
* Lovers Rock (2003) Prestige
* Anything For You (2002) VP
* Reggae Max (2003) Jet Star
* Heart Is Willing (2003) Charm
* Rhythms of My Heart (2004) Nuff
* Comin’ in Tough (2005) VP
* Masterpiece (200?) VP
* Mister Eudaric Riddim (2009)
* Mr.McGregor (2009) VP
* Giants (2009) Joe Gibbs Publishing

UK hit singles

The following were hits on the UK Singles Chart:

* «Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely» (1987) - Chart Number 9
* «That Girl (Groovy Situation)» (1987) - Chart Number 47

DVD, Video
Freddie McGregor releases:

* Live Video Music, Inc. (DVD)

Various Artists releases featuring McGregor

* Sunsplash ‘90 - Reggae Rockers (1990) Wienerworld (DVD)
* The Reggae Movie (1996) Geneon (DVD)
* Golden Voices of Reggae (2005) Island MVD (DVD)
* Western Consciousness Pt 2 (2005) Island MVD (DVD)