Johnny Osbourne

Johnny Osbourne

Johnny Osbourne is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer from Kingston, Jamaica. Born Errol Osbourne in 1948, he begins performing in the 1960s and becomes one of the island’s better-known vocalists through the 1970s and 1980s. His work spans reggae, roots reggae and dancehall, with a career that includes recordings in Jamaica and Canada.

Early career

In 1967, Osbourne becomes lead singer of The Wildcats and records for producer Winston Riley, although those sessions are not issued. The group’s manager funds a recording session at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One, and Osbourne’s debut single, “All I Have Is Love”, is released from it. In 1969 he records the album Come Back Darling again for Riley, and after completing it he emigrates to Toronto, Canada, to join his family.

In Canada, he sings with several soul and reggae groups before becoming lead vocalist for Ishan People. He records two albums with that group before it breaks up in 1979, after which he returns to Jamaica.

Studio One and roots reggae success

After returning to Jamaica, Osbourne records “Forgive Them” and “Jealousy, Heartache And Pain” for Studio One. He then records extensively for Coxsone Dodd through late 1979 and early 1980, and these sessions lead to Truths And Rights. The album is a notable roots reggae success and includes “Jah Promise” and the title track, “Truths And Rights”.

In 1979, he also has a hit for King Jammy, then known as Prince Jammy, with “Folly Ranking”, and a follow-up album of the same name appears in 1980. This period makes him one of the most in-demand vocalists in Jamaica, and a run of releases follows, including Fally Lover, Warrior, Innah Disco Style and Never Stop Fighting between 1980 and 1982.

1980s dancehall recordings

Osbourne is especially associated with mid-1980s dancehall reggae hits. These include “Yo Yo” and “Lend Me A Chopper” in 1983, “Water Pumping” later that year, “Rewind” in 1984, and “Buddy Bye”, “No Sound Like We” and “In The Area” in 1985. “Buddy Bye” is based on King Jammy’s Sleng Teng riddim. “Water Pumping” adapts Hopeton Lewis’ “Take It Easy”, which also underpins Johnny Clarke’s 1976 hit “Rockers Time Now”.

Throughout the 1980s he continues to record for Coxsone Dodd, with singles including “Keep That Light”, “Unity” and “A We Run Things”. A second album promised by Dodd does not appear.

Later success

In the late 1980s, Osbourne records successfully for Bobby Digital. He has hits with “Good Time Rock” and “Rude Boy Skank”, both from his 1989 album Rougher Than Them.