The Pioneers

The Pioneers are a Jamaican ska and reggae vocal group from Kingston, Jamaica. They form in 1962 and remain active in changing line-ups, with Sidney “Luddy” Crooks, Jackie Robinson and George Agard as the named members.

Early years and first recordings

The group begins as a trio formed by brothers Sydney and Derrick Crooks with their friend Winston Hewitt. Their early recordings include “Good Nanny” and “I’ll Never Come Running Back to You”, which are self-produced at Treasure Isle studio with money borrowed by the Crooks brothers from their mother. These tracks appear on Ken Lack’s Caltone label. Several further singles follow, but none become hits at first. Hewitt moves to Canada in 1966 and is replaced for about a year by Glen Adams, formerly of The Heptones.

After the group breaks up in mid-1967, Sydney Crooks works at Joe Gibbs’ record shop and returns to recording through Gibbs. For the session for “Give Me Little Loving”, he recruits Jackie Robinson, whom he meets outside the studio just before recording begins. Robinson becomes the lead singer, and this line-up gives the group its best-known period.

Success in Jamaica and the UK

With Robinson, The Pioneers release a run of successful singles including “Longshot”, “Jackpot”, “Catch the Beat” and “Pan Yu Machete”. “Longshot” is written and produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry on Gibbs’ behalf, while “Pan Yu Machete” is an attack on Perry after he leaves Gibbs in 1968. Crooks and Robinson also record as The Soul Mates in 1967.

The group later moves from Gibbs to Leslie Kong. Their first recording for Kong, “Samfie Man”, tops the Jamaican singles chart. After a few more singles, they add Desmond Dekker’s half-brother George Agard and return to a trio format. Around the same period, Sydney Crooks, Derrick Crooks and Winston Bailey also record as The Slickers, including “Nana” for producer Neremiah Reid.

“Long Shot (Kick De Bucket)” becomes a major hit in 1969, and the group tours the UK, where they are especially popular with skinheads. They relocate to the UK in 1970. Their cover of Jimmy Cliff’s “Let Your Yeah Be Yeah” reaches number 5 in 1971, and “Give and Take” reaches number 35 in January 1972. A double-A-side release of “Long Shot Kick de Bucket” and Harry J All-Stars’ “Liquidator” reaches number 42 in the UK in 1980, and “Long Shot Kick de Bucket” is reissued in the same year. The song is later covered by The Specials on The Special AKA Live! EP, and “Jackpot” is covered by The Beat on their album I Just Can’t Stop It. The Selecter also covers “Time Hard” as “Everyday” on Too Much Pressure.

Albums, collaborations and later activity

Their albums include Greetings From The Pioneers, Long Shot, Battle Of The Giants, Yeah, I Believe In Love, Freedom Feeling, I’m Gonna Knock On Your Door, Feel The Rhythm, Roll On Muddy River, Pusher Man and What A Feeling. They record for labels including Caltone, Amalgamated, Trojan, Mercury, Summit, Pioneer International, Squad Disco, D.M.C., WWS, Vista Sounds, Rhino Records, Creole and others.

In 1976, The Pioneers work with Eddy Grant on Feel The Rhythm for Mercury Records. Grant produces them in a soul style, leading to singles such as “Broken Man”, “Feel The Rhythm” and “My Good Friend James”. The style change is not a commercial success, and the group splits for a period in the late 1970s. Crooks focuses on production and continues with his brother in The Slickers, while Agard and Robinson record together on George & Jackie Sing and separately. The Pioneers reform in the late 1970s, split again in 1989, then reform in 1999 and continue to perform.

Legacy and performances

The Pioneers’ songs continue to circulate through covers, reissues and later use. “Starvation” appears on the 1985 charity single “Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L’Ethiopie”, shared with members of UB40 and backed by General Public. “Long Shot Kick de Bucket” is used in the 2008 film The Wackness. The group performs at the Maranhão Roots Reggae Festival in São Luís, Brazil, in 2005 and at the Godiva Festival in Coventry in 2006.