Bob Andy is a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter from Kingston, Jamaica, born Keith Anderson in 1944 and active until his death in 2020. He is widely regarded as one of reggae’s most influential songwriters.

Career

Andy begins his recording career as a solo artist in 1966 with “I’ve Got to Go Back Home”, which becomes a well-known Jamaican anthem. Before that, he develops his singing and songwriting with The Paragons, the vocal group he founds with Tyrone “Don” Evans and Howard Barrett; John Holt later joins the group. The Paragons record a number of hits for producer Coxsone Dodd, including the No. 1 single “Love At Last”, written by Andy.

He works closely with Jackie Mittoo at Studio One, contributing to many of the label’s key recordings. Alongside songs written for himself, including “Feeling Soul”, “My Time”, “Going Home” and “Too Experienced”, he also writes material for other artists at the label.

Bob & Marcia

In 1970, Andy and Marcia Griffiths record “Young, Gifted and Black”, a version of Nina Simone’s song that sells strongly in the UK and Europe. Under the name Bob & Marcia, they appear on Top of the Pops, tour extensively, and release two albums for Trojan Records. The duo also has another UK Top Ten single. After they split in 1974, Andy and Griffiths later reunite for the Kemar LP, issued as Really Together on his own label.

Solo work and labels

During the early 1970s, Andy continues to record solo songs such as “You Don’t Know” and “Life”. In 1978 he releases Lots of Love and I, which includes “Ghetto Stays in the Mind” and “Feel the Feeling”. That year he also travels to Cuba to perform at the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students.

He later steps away from the music scene for five years while becoming involved in acting, taking lead roles in theatre productions and appearing in the Jamaican film Children of Babylon in 1979. He returns to the reggae charts in 1983 with the No. 1 single “Honey” and the No. 1 album Friends. For these and later releases he sets up his own I-Anka label in Jamaica and the UK.

Andy also works as an A&R manager at Tropical Soundtracs in the mid-1970s. In 1987 he becomes A&R and Promotions Director for Tuff Gong, where he represents the company at industry events and produces artists including Nadine Sutherland, Ernest Wilson and Tyrone Taylor.

Later releases and performances

His 1986 album Retrospective is issued in North America in 1987 and is presented as a link between his Studio One work and later recordings. Freely appears on I-Anka in 1988 and spends many months in the reggae charts. He then spends six months in Australia in 1989, running workshops and performing with local musicians.

Andy continues to perform in Europe, Japan, Jamaica, Canada and the US throughout the 1990s and into the following decade. He also takes part in reunion concerts with Marcia Griffiths. Later recordings include “Zion”, “There Is A God” and “Ska Music (is Jah Music)”. He records Hanging Tough for producer Willie Lindo at Heavy Beat Studios in Miami; the album is released in 1997 on VP Records and includes “Love This Life” and “Die No More”.

He also records “Create Our History” with Luciano and “Almighty Dolla” for the Altafaan label.

Recognition

Andy receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from Rockers Magazine in Kingston in 1989 and another from the Canadian Reggae Music Awards in Toronto in 1991. “Fire Burning” wins Song of the Year at the JAMI Awards in 1991. In 1997 he is named one of the music’s “Living Legends” at the Reggae/Soca Awards in Miami, and in 1999 he receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bob Marley Day Festival in Southern California. Jamaica awards him the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander in 2006 for his contribution to reggae music.

Other work and influence

Andy founds the publishing company ANDISONGS and is involved in efforts to establish a Caribbean Copyright Organisation. He is also connected with new material through cover versions of his songs, which help bring his work to later audiences. His catalogue remains closely associated with reggae, rocksteady and ska, and with the development of Jamaican songwriting.