Biography
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Born
21 August 1935
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Born In
San Fernando, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
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Died
30 June 2023 (aged 87)
Lord Creator (born Kentrick Patrick in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago on 21 August 1935; died 30 June 2023) was a Trinidadian-born calypso, R&B, ska, and rocksteady artist who moved to Jamacica in 1959. Remembered for writing and recording the song "Kingston Town" (later recorded by British group UB40), Lord Creator was an important and positive "outside" influence during the early development of the Jamaican music scene.
He started as a calypso singer under the name Lord Creator. With his move to Jamaica in the late 1950s, he recorded his first big hit, Evening News, in 1959 with Fitz Vaughan Bryan's big band. In 1962, he recorded Independent Jamaica, which became the official song marking Jamaica’s independence from the British Empire on August 6, 1962. That song was also the first record on Chris Blackwell’s newly founded Island Records label in the United Kingdom. (Island 001). In 1963, Don't Stay Out Late, produced by Vincent Chin, became a huge hit in Jamaica.
In 1964, he had a hit with Big Bamboo, produced by Coxsone Dodd with Tommy McCook on saxophone. After Little Princess in 1964, he recorded a calypso album, Jamaica Time, on Studio One. It included calypso classics like Jamaica Farewell and Yellowbird, as well as a cover of Bob Dylan's Blowing in the Wind.
His next album, Big Bamboo, was recorded at Dynamic Studios sometime after 1969, when the studio was established by Byron Lee. Carlton Lee, who is otherwise unknown, is listed as the producer.
Creator’s biggest hit was Kingston Town, recorded in 1970 for producer Clancy Eccles which is a reggae version of his 1964 ska tune King & Queen (Babylon). After that, Lord Creator virtually disappeared from the music scene.
In 1977, he recorded Life, a rerecording of his 1969 song, Such is Life, at The Black Ark for Lee "Scratch" Perry.
In 1989, the British group UB40 recorded Kingston Town. There is a story that after this, Eccles saw Creator, who had become homeless and destitute, on a Kingston street. When Eccles called out to him, Creator fled thinking Eccles had come to collect $30 he owed him. Eccles chased him down and told him UB40 had recorded Kingston Town and that Creator had earned substantial royalties. With the money he earned in royalties, Creator revitalized his life and career. He appeared in oldies shows in Jamaica, and toured Japan.
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