B.B. Seaton

B.B. Seaton

B.B. Seaton, born Harris Lloyd Seaton in Kingston, Jamaica, is a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter and record producer, also known as Bibby. He starts singing and writing songs in his school years and grows up listening to American vocal groups including The Platters, The Drifters, The Temptations and The Four Tops.

Career

He begins his recording career in 1960 and becomes known as a member of The Gaylads, The Astronauts, Conscious Minds and The Messengers, the latter group including Ken Boothe, Lloyd Charmers and Busty Brown. His first major hit in Jamaica comes when he joins Delano Stewart and Maurice Roberts to form The Gaylads. The group records “Lady with the Red Dress” for Clement Dodd’s Studio One label in 1967, followed by a run of songs including “You Should Never Do That”, “No Good Girl”, “Chipmunk Ska”, “Stop Making Love Beside Me”, “Love Me With All Your Heart”, “Red Rose”, “You’ll Never Leave Him” and “Africa”.

The Gaylads also release the albums Soul Beat and Gaylads Sing Folks. Their catalogue includes recordings for Whirl Records such as “Joy In The Morning” and “She Want It”, for Tip Top Records such as “Hard To Confess”, “Over The Rainbows End”, “I Need Your Loving” and “ABC Rocksteady”, and for Beverley’s Records such as “My Jamaican Girl”, “There’s A Fire”, “Soul Sister”, “Fire & Rain” and “We Three Kings”.

Solo work

After around ten years working in Jamaica with labels including Studio One, Tip Top Records, Beverley’s Records and Treasure Isle Records as an A&R man, producer, writer, musician and backing vocalist, Seaton goes solo. In 1972 he records “Accept My Apology”, which becomes an instant hit. Other successful singles include his version of Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me”, along with “Thin Line Between Love & Hate”, “Rainbow Love”, “One Thing Leads To Another”, “God Bless Our Love”, “Can’t Hide The Feeling”, “Sweet Caroline”, “All The Best”, “Miss My Schooldays”, “My Jamaican Girl”, “Everyday People” and “Born Free”.

He records more than fifteen albums, including Dancing Shoe on Virgin, Thin Line Between Love & Hate on Trojan, Colour Is Not The Answer on Jama, I’m Aware Of Love, B.B. Seaton Sings The Gaylads, Wish Me Luck, Just One Moment, B.B. Seaton Greatest Hits, In Control on his own Soul Beat label, Everyday People on Creole, Pleasure And Pain on Studio One, Reggae Country Classics, Rootically Yours, Reggae Land and Unbeaten.

Later years

Seaton continues performing into the 2010s as a member of The Gaylads. He dies in London in 2024.