Junior Tucker
Encyclopedia
Leslie Tucker, known as Junior Tucker (born 1966, Trenchtown
, Kingston
, Jamaica
), is a Jamaican reggae
singer, who started his career in secular music, but who now sings Christian reggae. His hits included "Happy" and his own composition, "Don't Test".
in Jamaica, where he was known as the Jamaican Michael Jackson
. He had further hits with his cover version
of "Some Guys Have All The Luck
" and, in 1983, recorded the first version of "Mr. Telephone Man
", a 1984 Top 20 Billboard
hit for New Edition
. He then studied audio engineering
at the Institute of Audio Research
in New York
, and following his study began to write his own songs. "Don't Test", one of his first compositions, became an international hit earning him a recording contract
with Virgin
in 1989. "Don't Test" peaked at #54 in the UK Singles Chart
in June 1990. He was released from his Virgin contract in 1991, returning to Jamaica, where he became a dancehall
act.
After the death of his father and birth of his daughter, Tucker went in search of the meaning of life
. After asking God to 'let him sleep', he became a born again Christian, and was baptised. He said that God had led him to move to Florida
, where he initially sung at a mostly West Indian church in Broward
. He subsequently moved to New Harvest Church in Clewiston, Florida and enrolled on a correspondence course degree in Ministry.
He has recorded four Christian reggae albums, Brand New, Ready for the Rapture, Sold Out – Worship from the Islands plus Victory – Worship from the Islands II.
Trenchtown
Trench Town is a neighborhood located in the parish of St. Andrew which shares municipality with Kingston, the capital and largest city of Jamaica. In the 1960s Trench Town was known as the Hollywood of Jamaica. Today Trench Town boasts the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum, a visitor friendly...
, Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
), is a Jamaican reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer, who started his career in secular music, but who now sings Christian reggae. His hits included "Happy" and his own composition, "Don't Test".
Career
His first hit was "Happy", released when he was aged seven years old, and was a #1 hit singleHit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in Jamaica, where he was known as the Jamaican Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. He had further hits with his cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Some Guys Have All The Luck
Some Guys Have All the Luck
"Some Guys Have All the Luck" is a song written by Jeff Fortgang , which has been a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 twice, first by The Persuaders in 1973 , then by Rod Stewart in 1984, whose version hit #10...
" and, in 1983, recorded the first version of "Mr. Telephone Man
Mr. Telephone Man
"Mr. Telephone Man" is a 1984 song by R&B/pop group, New Edition, and the second single from their eponymous second album, New Edition.-Overview:"Mr...
", a 1984 Top 20 Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
hit for New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
. He then studied audio engineering
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
at the Institute of Audio Research
Institute of Audio Research
The Institute of Audio Research, also known as IAR, is located in New York City. Students of IAR are offered a wide variety of academic programs in the field of music production and audio engineering...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and following his study began to write his own songs. "Don't Test", one of his first compositions, became an international hit earning him a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in 1989. "Don't Test" peaked at #54 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in June 1990. He was released from his Virgin contract in 1991, returning to Jamaica, where he became a dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
act.
After the death of his father and birth of his daughter, Tucker went in search of the meaning of life
Meaning of life
The meaning of life constitutes a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general. This concept can be expressed through a variety of related questions, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the meaning of it all?" It has...
. After asking God to 'let him sleep', he became a born again Christian, and was baptised. He said that God had led him to move to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where he initially sung at a mostly West Indian church in Broward
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
. He subsequently moved to New Harvest Church in Clewiston, Florida and enrolled on a correspondence course degree in Ministry.
He has recorded four Christian reggae albums, Brand New, Ready for the Rapture, Sold Out – Worship from the Islands plus Victory – Worship from the Islands II.