Biography
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Born
25 August 1958
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Died
11 April 2005 (aged 46)
A popular roots singer who gained fame in the late 1970s into the early 1980s, Delgado scored big with the number one single Merry Go Round, recorded on Sly and Robbie's Taxi label.
"Junior was a good artiste. We produced two songs for him, Merry Go Round and Fort Augustus. He was a talented songwriter and a very cool person. I actually spoke to him three weeks ago when he called from London," producer and musician Sly Dunbar recalled.
Born Oscar Hibbert August 25, 1958, in Kingston, Delgado began singing in his teens as Junior Hibbert, with the vocal group Time Unlimited. In 1975, Delgado decided to pursue a solo career and opted to change his name to Junior Delgado. Delgado was his long-time nickname, taken from the Spanish word for skinny.
His debut album, Taste of the Young Heart was released in 1978. The following year, the singer started his own label, Incredible Jux, on which he released his follow-up album Effort. Among the producers whom he recorded for were Prince Jammy, Joe Gibbs, Augustus Pablo and Earl 'Çhinna' Smith.
Throughout the early 1990s Delgado spent most of his time between recording and touring Britain where he had a strong fan base. The More She Love It and Disco Style Showcase albums were both released in 1981 and saw Junior experimenting with the new dancehall style.
However, Delgado had not entirely deserted his roots style.
After a forced hiatus, during which time Delgado spent 18 months in prison; in 1985 he recorded Broadwater Farm in London, a fiery single inspired by the crime-ridden and poverty-stricken north London housing estate of the same name. Coincidentally enough, soon after the album's release, the estate itself made headlines in England upon suffering the most violent and vicious rioting England had ever experienced in then recent times.
Following the death of long-time friend Dennis Brown, Delgado recorded his own personal tribute to the singer, simply titled Junior Delgado Sings Dennis Brown. During this time, the singer continued performing live to appreciative crowds on both sides of the Atlantic. Delgado spent over 25 years in the business, yet his music still connects with the generation of today.
He died at his home in London during April 2005.
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