Owen Gray
Owen Gray, born July 5, 1939 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a pioneering singer,
songwriter and musician of ska, rocksteady and reggae, often considered one of
the first Jamaican artists to record in these genres. Born into a modest family,
he grew up in Trenchtown and began singing as a child, influenced by American
rhythm and blues, notably Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine and Sam Cooke.
Self-taught on the piano, he performed in local talent contests and won early
recognition. In 1958, at the age of 19, he recorded one of the first ska
records, "Please Don't Let Me Go", for producer Les...
