Barrington Levy

Barrington Levy is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer from Clarendon, Jamaica, born in 1964. He is associated with dancehall, reggae, dub, roots reggae and roots, and is also linked in later recordings with the members of Winjama.

Early career

Levy begins performing as a youngster and forms the Mighty Multitude with his cousin Everton Dacres. The group starts out on sound systems and records its first single, “My Black Girl”, in 1977. Levy then begins recording solo material while still a teenager, with early dancehall appearances helping to build his reputation.

He works with producer Junjo Lawes and New York-based producer Hyman “Jah Life” Wright at King Tubby’s studio, recording tracks with the Roots Radics. Early releases from this period include “Ah Yah We Deh”, “Looking My Love” and “Wedding Ring Aside”, followed by “Collie Weed” and “Shine Eye Girl”, which establish him as a major figure in dancehall. He also records a version of Horace Andy’s “Skylarking” titled “Jumpy Girl”, along with “Reggae Music”.

Albums and singles

Between 1979 and 1980, Levy releases several albums, including Bounty Hunter, Shine Eye Gal, Englishman and Robin Hood. These records draw heavily on roots rhythms updated with a more danceable edge, and they help shape a new dancehall sound. Robin Hood follows Englishman and continues his rise in Jamaica and Britain, where Greensleeves releases both albums. In Britain, Burning Sounds also issues Shine Eye Gal.

He continues to issue a long run of singles through the early 1980s, including “Mary Long Tongue”, “Too Poor”, “I Have a Problem”, “Even Tide Fire a Disaster”, “I’m Not in Love”, “You Have It”, “Tomorrow Is Another Day”, “Robberman”, “Black Rose”, “My Women” and “Money Move”. He also records self-produced material such as “In the Dark” and “Love of Jah”.

Levy works with several producers and singers during this period, including Alvin Ranglin, Toyan, Jah Thomas, Trinity, Linval Thompson, Karl Pitterson, Joe Gibbs, George Phang and Jah Screw. Duets and collaborations become an important part of his output, reflecting the sound system and dancehall context in which he works.

Notable records and recognition

In 1983, he releases Money Move, produced by George Phang and built on rhythms created by Sly & Robbie. The following year brings “Under Mi Sensi”, one of his best-known songs, and the album Here I Come. The title track reaches the UK top 50, and Levy wins Best Vocalist at Britain’s Reggae Awards. The same material helps make him the first reggae artist to hold both the first and second positions in the charts at the same time.

In 1985 he issues Prison Oval Rock, and in 1988 he releases Love the Life You Live. He later records more collaboration-based work, including “Two Sounds” and “Murderer” with Beenie Man, “She’s Mine” with Mega Banton, and the album Duets, released in the US under that title and in the UK as Barrington Levy’s DJ Counteraction. “Living Dangerously”, from that project with Bounty Killer, becomes especially successful in Jamaica and clubs elsewhere.

Later work and collaborations

Levy continues recording into the 1990s and beyond. Time Capsule appears in 1996, followed by a 1998 remake of “Murderer” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg and Long Beach Dub All-Stars. In 2000 he appears on Shyne’s debut album Bad Boyz on the tracks “Bad Boyz” and “Bonnie and Shynz”. His debut album Bounty Hunter is reissued as Moonlight Lover in 2003, and a later collection gathers his work with Henry Lawes and Alvin Ranglin under the title Love Your Brother Man: The Early Years.

Levy remains an established touring artist and continues to be associated with major reggae and dancehall performances. His son Krishane is also a musician and is signed to Atlantic Records.