Screwdriver (musician)
Encyclopedia
Screwdriver is a reggae
artist active since the mid 1980s.
, where he met and was encouraged in his musical career by Beres Hammond
. Taking inspiration from the likes of Tenor Saw
, Pinchers
, Pliers
, and Spanner Banner, he began recording in 1986, having hits with "We Rule", "Soundboy Killa", "Family Counsellor", and "Here I Come". He had a Jamaican number one single in 1989 with "No Mama (Sharon Yuh Pregnant?)", which became a major hit throughout the Caribbean. His success led to tours of Canada and the United States, and he eventually settled in Florida
in the early 1990s. Further hits followed with "Reggae on Broadway", "Teach Dem", and "HIV", and in the mid-1990s he began to blend hip hop
and R&B with dancehall
, notably on the Calling Calling album from 1995. 1996 saw the release of Screwdriver's self-produced Let Me Remind You album. Screwdriver made a guest appearance on John Holt
's 1997 album All Night Long. Shortly after the release of Let Me Remind You, Screwdriver began working on his next album, Prophecy, which was released in 2001. He said of the album: "Mi try do a little a everything on it...some ska, some jazz, a little merengue. Is a musician album".
His latest album, 2007's Road Block mixes new rhythms with old ones and features a new version of his biggest hit, "No Mama", retitled "Sherron".
Screwdriver wrote the song "Jah Send Him Come" in support of Barack Obama
's presidential election campaign. He initially offered the song to Luciano
, but when the offer was declined recorded it himself.
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...
artist active since the mid 1980s.
Biography
Born Dalton Lindo in Saint James Parish in 1960, in the mid-1980s, Lindo travelled to KingstonKingston, 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...
, where he met and was encouraged in his musical career by Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond is a reggae singer known in particular for his romantic lovers rock and soulful voice...
. Taking inspiration from the likes of Tenor Saw
Tenor saw
Tenor Saw was a prominent dancehall singer in the 1980s, and one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era...
, Pinchers
Pinchers
Pinchers born Delroy Thompson, 12 April 1965, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist.He released one album as a teenager in Jamaica for Blue Trac Records, before moving to the UK in 1985....
, Pliers
Pliers (singer)
Pliers , is a Jamaican Reggae singer best known for his collaborations with deejay Chaka Demus under the name Chaka Demus & Pliers...
, and Spanner Banner, he began recording in 1986, having hits with "We Rule", "Soundboy Killa", "Family Counsellor", and "Here I Come". He had a Jamaican number one single in 1989 with "No Mama (Sharon Yuh Pregnant?)", which became a major hit throughout the Caribbean. His success led to tours of Canada and the United States, and he eventually settled in 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...
in the early 1990s. Further hits followed with "Reggae on Broadway", "Teach Dem", and "HIV", and in the mid-1990s he began to blend hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and R&B with 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,...
, notably on the Calling Calling album from 1995. 1996 saw the release of Screwdriver's self-produced Let Me Remind You album. Screwdriver made a guest appearance on John Holt
John Holt (singer)
John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
's 1997 album All Night Long. Shortly after the release of Let Me Remind You, Screwdriver began working on his next album, Prophecy, which was released in 2001. He said of the album: "Mi try do a little a everything on it...some ska, some jazz, a little merengue. Is a musician album".
His latest album, 2007's Road Block mixes new rhythms with old ones and features a new version of his biggest hit, "No Mama", retitled "Sherron".
Screwdriver wrote the song "Jah Send Him Come" in support of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's presidential election campaign. He initially offered the song to Luciano
Luciano (singer)
Luciano is a Jamaican second generation roots reggae artist and poet....
, but when the offer was declined recorded it himself.
Albums
- Teach Dem (1992) Imp
- Calling Calling (1995) Ikus
- Let Me Remind You (1996) (reissued (2002) Jet StarJet StarJet Star was a United Kingdom record distribution company that grew out of Pama Records in 1978. It was one of the largest distributors of reggae music, the company themselves claiming the title "the world's largest reggae distributors".-History:Jet Star was formed in 1978 by the Palmer Brothers,...
) - Prophecy (2001) Artist Only!
- Road Block (2007) VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
External links
- Anderson, Rick "[ Prophecy review]", allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- Prophecy review, Reggae-Reviews.com