The Mighty Diamonds

With their three-part harmonies and dubby rhythms, Jamaican legends The Mighty Diamonds created a brand of sugar sweet, roots reggae filled with Rastafari spirituality and soulful pop hooks. Formed in the same ghetto of Trenchtown, Kingston that Bob Marley rose from, the vocal trio of school friends Donald "Tabby" Shaw, Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson and Lloyd "Judge" Ferguson grew up performing Motown songs by The Temptations and The Stylistics, but rejected the clean cut look and sound for dreadlocks and Jamaican swagger. They worked with producers Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Byron Lee and Joseph Hoo Kim on early hits Talk About It, Shame And Pride and their big breakthrough Country Living, before signing to Virgin Records for their classic debut album Right Time (1976). They were sent to New Orleans to record with Allen Toussaint for experimental follow-up Ice And Fire (1977), but it was the hypnotic dub of ninth album Changes (1981) that brought them international success with the popular single Pass The Koutchie - later covered by Musical Youth as Pass The Dutchie. Still highly regarded by reggae fans, The Mighty Diamonds have never stopped working, with over 40 albums to their name.

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