Dennis Brown
Encyclopedia
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaica
n reggae
singer
. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded
more than 75 album
s and was one of the major stars of lovers rock
, a sub-genre of reggae
. Bob Marley
cited Brown as his favourite singer, dubbing him "The Crown Prince of Reggae", and Brown would prove hugely influential on future generations of reggae singers.
. His father Arthur was a scriptwriter
, actor, and journalist, and he grew up in a large tenement yard between North Street and King Street in Kingston with his parents, three elder brothers and a sister, although his mother died in the 1960s. He attended Central Branch Primary School and later St. Stephens College. He began his singing career at the age of nine, while still at junior school, with an end-of-term concert the first time he performed in public, although he had been keen on music from an even earlier age, and as a youngster was a keen fan of American balladeers such as Brook Benton
, Sam Cooke
, Frank Sinatra
, and Dean Martin
. He cited Nat King Cole
as one of his greatest early influences. He regularly hung around JJ's record store on Orange Street in the rocksteady
era and his relatives and neighbours would often throw Brown pennies to hear him sing in their yard. Brown's first professional appearance came at the age of eleven, when he visited a local club where his brother Basil was performing a comedy routine, and where he made a guest appearance with the club's resident group, the Fabulous Falcons (a group which included Cynthia Richards
, David "Scotty" Scott
, and Noel Brown
). On the strength of this performance he was asked to join the group as a featured vocalist. When the group performed at a JLP
conference at the National Arena, Brown sang two songs - Desmond Dekker
's "Unity" and Johnnie Taylor
's "Ain't That Loving You" - and after the audience showered the stage with money, he was able to buy his first suit with the proceeds. Bandleader Byron Lee
performed on the same bill, and was sufficiently impressed with Brown to book him to perform on package shows featuring visiting US artists, where he was billed as the "Boy Wonder". As a young singer he was influenced by older contemporaries such as Delroy Wilson
(who he later cited as the single greatest influence on his style of singing), Errol Dunkley
, John Holt
, Ken Boothe
, and Bob Andy
. Brown's first recording
was an original song called "Lips of Wine" for producer Derrick Harriott
, but when this was not released, he recorded for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One label, and his first session yielded the single
"No Man is an Island", recorded when Brown was aged twelve and released in late 1969. The single received steadily increasing airplay for almost a year before becoming a huge hit throughout Jamaica. Brown recorded up to a dozen sessions for Dodd, amounting to around thirty songs, and also worked as a backing singer on sessions by other artists, including providing harmonies along with Horace Andy
and Larry Marshall on Alton Ellis
's Sunday Coming album. Brown was advised by fellow Studio One artist Ellis to learn guitar to help with his songwriting, and after convincing Dodd to buy him an instrument, was taught the basics by Ellis. These Studio One recordings were collected on two albums, No Man is an Island
and If I Follow my Heart (the title track penned by Alton Ellis), although Brown had left Studio One before either was released. He went on to record for several producers including Lloyd Daley
("Baby Don't Do It" and "Things in Life"), Prince Buster
("One Day Soon" and "If I Had the World"), and Phil Pratt
("Black Magic Woman", "Let Love In", and "What About the Half"), before returning to work with Derrick Harriott, recording a string of popular singles including "Silhouettes", "Concentration", "He Can't Spell", and "Musical Heatwave", with the pick of these tracks collected on the Super Reggae and Soul Hits album in 1973. Brown also recorded for Vincent "Randy" Chin
("Cheater"), Dennis Alcapone
("I Was Lonely"), and Herman Chin Loy
("It's Too Late" and "Song My Mother Used to Sing") among others, with Brown still at school at this stage of his career.
to record an album for him, and one of the tracks recorded as a result, "Money in my Pocket", was a hit with UK reggae audiences and quickly became a favourite of his live performances. This original version of "Money in my Pocket" was in fact produced by Winston "Niney" Holness on behalf of Gibbs, with musical backing from the Soul Syndicate
. In the same year, Brown performed as part of a Christmas morning showcase in Toronto
, Canada
, along with Delroy Wilson, Scotty, Errol Dunkley, and the Fabulous Flames, where he was billed as the "Boy Wonder of Jamaica" and was considered the star of the show in a local newspaper review. The song's popularity in the UK was further cemented with the release a deejay
version, "A-So We Stay (Money in Hand)", credited to Big Youth
and Dennis Brown, which outsold the original single and topped the Jamaican singles chart. Brown and Holness became close, even sharing a house in Pembroke Hall. Brown followed this with another collaboration with Holness on "Westbound Train", which was the biggest Jamaican hit of summer 1973, and Brown's star status was confirmed when he was voted Jamaica's top male vocalist in a poll by Swing magazine the same year. Brown followed this success with "Cassandra" and "No More Will I Roam", and tracks such as "Africa" and "Love Jah", displaying Brown's Rastafari beliefs, became staples on London
's sound system scene. In 1973, Brown was hospitalized due to fatigue caused by overwork, although at the time rumours spread that he only had one lung and had only a week to live, or had contracted tuberculosis
. He was advised to take an extended break from performing and concentrated instead on his college studies.
Brown returned to music and toured the United Kingdom for the first time in late summer 1974 as part of a Jamaican showcase, along with Cynthia Richards
, Al Brown, Sharon Forrester
, and The Maytals, after which he was invited to stay on for further dates (where he was backed by The Cimarons
, staying in the UK for another three months. While in the UK, he recorded for the first time since his hospitalization, working with producer Sydney Crooks
, and again backed by the Cimarons. While Brown was in the UK, Gibbs released an album collecting recordings made earlier in Jamaica, released as The Best of Dennis Brown, and Brown's first single to get a proper UK release was issued on the Synda label - "No More Will I Roam". He returned to Jamaica for Christmas, but six weeks later was back in the UK, now with Holness in tow as his business manager, to negotiate a record deal with Trojan Records
, the first Brown album to be released as a result being Just Dennis, although the pair would be left out of pocket after Trojan's collapse and subsequent buyout by Saga Records. On their return to Jamaica, Brown and Holness resumed recording in earnest with tracks for a new album, including "So Long Rastafari", "Boasting", and "Open the Gate". During 1975, Brown also recorded one-off sessions for Sonia Pottinger
("If You leave Me") and Bunny Lee
("So Much Pain", a duet with Johnny Clarke
), and the first recordings began to appear on Brown's new DEB Music label. In the wake of the Trojan collapse, Brown and Holness arranged a deal with local independent label owners Castro Brown (who ran Morpheus Records) and Larry Lawrence (Ethnic Fight) to distribute their releases in the UK. Brown saw the UK as the most important market to target and performed for five consecutive nights at the Georgian Club in Croydon
to raise funds to start his new DEB Music label with Castro Brown. In early 1976, Castro secured a deal with Radio London
disc jockey
Charlie Gillett
for Morpheus (and hence DEB) output to be issued through the latter's Oval Records, which had a distribution deal with Virgin Records
, but after a dispute over Castro's separate supply of these records to London record shops, the deal was scrapped and the early DEB releases suffered from a lack of promotion. Later that year, Brown voiced two tracks at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark
studio, "Take a Trip to Zion" and "Wolf and Leopard", the latter of which was a massive hit in Jamaica and would prove to be one of Brown's most popular songs, with a lyric criticizing those criminals who "rode the natty dread bandwagon". Brown confirmed in an interview in Black Echoes
that he had parted company with Holness, stating that "I was going along with one man's ideas for too long. Niney was trying to find a new beat at all times, which was disconcerting, so I hadn't been working with my true abilities. Now I know that I can produce myself".
Brown began working again with Joe Gibbs, with an agreement that in return for studio time for his own productions, Brown would allow Gibbs use of any rhythm recorded in the process. The first album from this arrangement, the 1977 release Visions of Dennis Brown
, gave him his biggest success so far, blending conscious themes and love songs, and confirming Brown's transformation from child star to grown up artist. The biblical-themed sleeve and portrait of Haile Selassie on the back complemented the roots reggae
tracks on the album, including "Repatriation", "Jah Can Do it", and cover version
s of Earl 16's "Malcolm X" and Clive Hunt
's "Milk and Honey". The album immediately entered the Black Echoes chart and stayed there well into the following year, although it was only available in the UK as an expensive import. Visions... was voted reggae album of the year by Melody Maker
writers and was given the same award by readers of Black Echoes. A reissued "Wolf and Leopard" single, and the eventual album release of the same name also sold well in the UK, both topping the Black Echoes chart.
Brown toured the UK in Autumn 1977 with Big Youth, and described the tour: "It's like I was appointed to deliver certain messages and now is the time to deliver them". He had also begun producing recordings by his protege, Junior Delgado
. In 1978, Brown moved to live in London, and set up premises in Battersea Rise, near Clapham Junction to relaunch the DEB Music label with Castro Brown, with artists featured on the label including Junior Delgado, 15.16.17, Bob Andy
, Lennox Brown, and later, Gregory Isaacs
. Brown had further success himself with a discomix
of "How Could I Leave You", a version of The Sharks' rocksteady standard "How Could I Live" with accompanying toast by Prince Mohamed
. In March 1978, Brown flew to Jamaica, where he was booked at the last minute to perform at the One Love Peace Concert
at the National Arena, backed by Lloyd Parks
' We The People Band. Visions of Dennis Brown was given a wider distribution via a deal between Lightning Records and WEA
and topped the UK reggae album chart in September 1978, this chart run lasting for five months. In August 1978, Brown returned to the UK, bringing Junior Delgado with him, and DEB Music released a series of singles, although they sold moderately compared to the label's earlier successes, but in the same month, Brown's breakthrough single was first released. Initially released as a discomix featuring a new version of "Money in my Pocket" and the deejay version "Cool Runnings" by Price Mohamed, which became unavailable for a time after quickly selling out its first pressing, this single gave Brown his first UK Top 40
hit
, reaching #14 the following year and becoming one of the biggest international hits in Jamaica's history, after crossing over first into soul
clubs and then rock
clubs. This success led to Brown featuring on the cover of the NME
in February 1979.
Brown's next two albums were both released on DEB - So Long Rastafari and Joseph's Coat of Many Colours, although the label was closed down in 1979, after which Brown again did the rounds of Jamaica's top producers, as well as continuing self-productions with singles such as "The Little Village" and "Do I Worry?" in 1981.
in 1981, and now based permanently in the UK, his first album release for the label was the Gibbs-produced Foul Play
, which while not wholly a success included the roots tracks "The Existence of Jah" and "The World is Troubled". This was followed in 1982 by Love Has Found its Way, a Gibbs/Brown/Willie Lindo production which blended lovers rock with a more 'pop
' sound, and again was not a great success. His final album with the label, 1983's The Prophet Rides Again again mixed roots themes with commercial R&B style tracks, and proved to be his swansong with the label. While his association with A&M had taken him in a more commercial pop direction, Kingston's music scene had shifted towards the new dancehall
era, and Brown enthusiatically adapted to the new sound, recording for some of the genre's major producers including Prince Jammy and Gussie Clarke
. In the early 1980s he also started a new label, Yvonne's Special, dedicated to his wife. In 1984, he collaborated with Gregory Isaacs on the album Two Bad Superstars Meet and the hit single "Let aaf Sum'n", recorded with Sly & Robbie and Jammy, which was followed by a second album featuring the two stars, Judge Not, in 1985. Brown released a huge amount of work through the 1980s, including the 1986 Jammy-produced album The Exit, but his biggest success of the decade came in 1989 with the Gussie Clarke-produced duet with Isaacs "Big All Round", and the album Unchallenged. He continued to record prolifically in the 1990s, notably on the Three Against War album in 1995 with Beenie Man
and Triston Palmer
, and on albums produced by Mikey Bennett, and his profile in the United States was raised by a series of album releases on RAS Records
. In the late 1990s he was managed by Tommy Cowan
, who contrasted Brown to Bob Marley, who he had also managed, stating "Bob Marley was a serious businessman, I don't think Dennis was as serious when it came to investment. Dennis was like a community person, he would earn money and in one hour he would give it away." Brown said of his approach to songwriting in the late 1990s:
Brown's 1994 album Light My Fire was nominated for a Grammy Award
, as was the last album recorded by Brown, Let Me Be the One (in 2001).
use leading to him being taken ill in May 1999, after touring in Brazil
with other reggae singers, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia
. After returning to Kingston, Jamaica
, on the evening of June 30, 1999, he was rushed to Kingston's University Hospital
, suffering from cardiac arrest
. Brown died the next day, and the official cause of his death was a collapsed lung
, although his cocaine habit was considered a contributing factor. Sitting Jamaican Prime Minister
P. J. Patterson
and former prime minister, serving at the time as opposition leader, Edward Seaga
of the Jamaica Labour Party
both spoke at Brown's funeral, which was held on July 17, 1999 in Kingston. The service, which lasted for three hours, also featured live performances by Maxi Priest
, Shaggy, and five of Brown's sons. Brown was then buried at Kingston's National Heroes Park
. Brown was survived by his wife Yvonne and thirteen children. Jamaica's Prime Minister P. J. Patterson
paid tribute to Brown, saying "Over the years, Dennis Brown has distinguished himself as one of the finest and most talented musicians of our time. The Crown Prince of Reggae as he was commonly called. He has left us with a vast repertoire of songs which will continue to satisfy the hearts and minds of us all for generations to come."
, Junior Reid
, Frankie Paul
, Luciano
, Bushman
, and Richie Stephens
. In July 1999, a group of UK-based musicians and more than fifty vocalists working under the collective name The British Reggae All Stars (including Mafia & Fluxy
, Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie, Peter Hunnigale
, Louisa Mark
, Nerious Joseph, and Sylvia Tella
) recorded "Tribute Song", a medley of six of Brown's best-known songs, in memory of Brown.
He was honoured on the first anniversary of his death by a massive memorial concert in Brooklyn
, which featured performances from Johnny Osbourne
, Micky Jarrett, Delano Tucker, and Half Pint. In 2001, a charitable trust was set up in Brown's name. The Dennis Emanuel Brown Trust works to educate youngsters, maintain and advance the memory of Dennis Brown, and help to provide youngsters with musical instruments. The trust awards the Dennis Emanuel Brown (DEB) bursary for educational achievement each year to students between the ages of 10–12 years. In 2005, George Nooks
, who had worked with Brown in the mid-1970s in his deejay guise as Prince Mohamed, released an album of Brown covers, George Nooks Sings Dennis Brown: The Voice Lives On, with Nooks stating "I was always inspired by his talent and I used to sing like him. Dennis had a whole heap of influence on me. To me he was the greatest. He was my number one singer." In the same year, Gregory Isaacs paid a similar tribute with the album Gregory Isaacs Sings Dennis Brown. In February 2007, a series of events were staged in Jamaica in celebration of the lives of both Brown and Marley (both would have had birthdays that month). In 2008, the Dennis Brown Trust announced a new internet radio station, dedicated solely to the music of Dennis Brown, and in the same month a tribute concert was staged by the Jamaican Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA) featuring Dwight Pinkney
, Derrick Harriott, Sugar Minott
, George Nooks, and John Holt
.
Songs about or dedicated to Brown include "Song for Dennis Brown" by The Mountain Goats
, "If This World Were Mine" by Slightly Stoopid
, "Drive" by Pepper (band)
, and Whitney Houston
's "Whitney Houston Dub Plate" on The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book
album by Wyclef Jean
.
On 26 April 2010, Brown was featured on NPR
Morning Edition
news program as one of the '50 Great Voices - The stories of awe-inspiring voices from around the world and across time'. The NPR '50 Great Voices' list includes Nat King Cole
, Ella Fitzgerald
, Mahalia Jackson
and Jackie Wilson
amongst others.
On 6 August 2011, being the 49th anniversary of the country's independence, the Governor-General of Jamaica
posthumously conferred the Order of Distinction
in the rank of Commander (CD) upon Brown, for his contribution to the Jamaican music industry.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
more than 75 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s and was one of the major stars of lovers rock
Lovers rock
Lovers rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid 1970s.-History:...
, a sub-genre of reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
. Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
cited Brown as his favourite singer, dubbing him "The Crown Prince of Reggae", and Brown would prove hugely influential on future generations of reggae singers.
Early life and career
Dennis Brown was born on 1 February 1957 at Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. His father Arthur was a scriptwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, actor, and journalist, and he grew up in a large tenement yard between North Street and King Street in Kingston with his parents, three elder brothers and a sister, although his mother died in the 1960s. He attended Central Branch Primary School and later St. Stephens College. He began his singing career at the age of nine, while still at junior school, with an end-of-term concert the first time he performed in public, although he had been keen on music from an even earlier age, and as a youngster was a keen fan of American balladeers such as Brook Benton
Brook Benton
Brook Benton was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.He made a comeback in 1970...
, Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, and Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
. He cited Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
as one of his greatest early influences. He regularly hung around JJ's record store on Orange Street in the rocksteady
Rocksteady
Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton...
era and his relatives and neighbours would often throw Brown pennies to hear him sing in their yard. Brown's first professional appearance came at the age of eleven, when he visited a local club where his brother Basil was performing a comedy routine, and where he made a guest appearance with the club's resident group, the Fabulous Falcons (a group which included Cynthia Richards
Cynthia Richards
Cynthia Richards is a Jamaican singer whose career began in the 1960s.-Biography:Born in Disney Land, Kingston, Jamaica, in 1944, Richards attended the Denham Town Primary School where after impressing teachers with a performance at an end-of-term concert she was encouraged to appear on the Vere...
, David "Scotty" Scott
Scotty (musician)
Scotty performed as a reggae vocalist and deejay.-Biography:...
, and Noel Brown
Noel Brown
----Noel A. Brown was an American tennis player in the mid-20th century. He was born in Stamford, Texas.Brown was captain of the University of California at Los Angeles tennis team in 1946. He won singles titles at two of the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis events: in 1952 at Cincinnati...
). On the strength of this performance he was asked to join the group as a featured vocalist. When the group performed at a JLP
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party. Despite its name, the JLP is a centre-right, conservative party.-Background:...
conference at the National Arena, Brown sang two songs - Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
's "Unity" and Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:...
's "Ain't That Loving You" - and after the audience showered the stage with money, he was able to buy his first suit with the proceeds. Bandleader Byron Lee
Byron Lee
Byron Lee OD, OJ was a musician, record producer, and entrepreneur, best known for his work as leader of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.-Biography:Lee was born in Christiana in Manchester Parish to an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Chinese father Byron Lee OD, OJ (born Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee, 27...
performed on the same bill, and was sufficiently impressed with Brown to book him to perform on package shows featuring visiting US artists, where he was billed as the "Boy Wonder". As a young singer he was influenced by older contemporaries such as Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer.-Biography:Wilson released his first single "Emy Lou" in 1961 for record producer, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, at the age of thirteen...
(who he later cited as the single greatest influence on his style of singing), Errol Dunkley
Errol Dunkley
Errol Dunkley is a Jamaican reggae musician, born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1951.-Biography:Dunkley's recording career began in 1965, when he was fourteen, with "Gypsy" for Linden Pottinger's Gaydisc label, "My Queen" for Prince Buster, and "Love Me Forever" on the Rio label...
, John Holt
John Holt (singer)
John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
, Ken Boothe
Ken Boothe
Ken Boothe OD is a Jamaican recording artist.-Biography:Ken Boothe was born in the Denham Town area of Kingston in 1948, the youngest of seven children, and began singing in school...
, and Bob Andy
Bob Andy
Bob Andy is a Jamaican reggae vocalist and songwriter. He is widely regarded as one of reggae's most influential songwriters.-Career:...
. Brown's first recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
was an original song called "Lips of Wine" for producer Derrick Harriott
Derrick Harriott
Derrick Harriott is a singer and record producer. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff.-Biography:As a student at Excelsior High School,...
, but when this was not released, he recorded for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One label, and his first session yielded the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"No Man is an Island", recorded when Brown was aged twelve and released in late 1969. The single received steadily increasing airplay for almost a year before becoming a huge hit throughout Jamaica. Brown recorded up to a dozen sessions for Dodd, amounting to around thirty songs, and also worked as a backing singer on sessions by other artists, including providing harmonies along with Horace Andy
Horace Andy
Horace Andy is a roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as "Government Land", "Angel", "Five Man Army" and a cover version of "Ain't No Sunshine"....
and Larry Marshall on Alton Ellis
Alton Ellis
Alton Nehemiah Ellis, OD, was a Jamaican musician best known as one of the innovators of rocksteady music and was often referred to as the "Godfather of Rocksteady". In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame.-Biography:Ellis was born in 1938 and...
's Sunday Coming album. Brown was advised by fellow Studio One artist Ellis to learn guitar to help with his songwriting, and after convincing Dodd to buy him an instrument, was taught the basics by Ellis. These Studio One recordings were collected on two albums, No Man is an Island
No Man is an Island (album)
No Man is an Island is the debut album from reggae singer Dennis Brown. Recorded when Brown was aged between twelve and thirteen, during 1969 and 1970, it includes his debut single, a cover of The Impressions' hit "No Man is an Island", a song he had originally worked on with producer Derrick...
and If I Follow my Heart (the title track penned by Alton Ellis), although Brown had left Studio One before either was released. He went on to record for several producers including Lloyd Daley
Lloyd Daley
Lloyd Daley also known as Matador is a Jamaican electronic technician, sound system pioneer and reggae producer.-Career:...
("Baby Don't Do It" and "Things in Life"), Prince Buster
Prince Buster
Cecil Bustamente Campbell, O.D. , better known as Prince Buster, and also known by his Muslim name Muhammed Yusef Ali, is a musician from Kingston, Jamaica. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music...
("One Day Soon" and "If I Had the World"), and Phil Pratt
Phil Pratt
Phil Pratt, born George Phillips is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.Phil Pratt worked at Studio One for Coxsone Dodd as a box-loader during the rocksteady period when Lee Perry was operating there, before moving to the United Kingdom in the early 1960s...
("Black Magic Woman", "Let Love In", and "What About the Half"), before returning to work with Derrick Harriott, recording a string of popular singles including "Silhouettes", "Concentration", "He Can't Spell", and "Musical Heatwave", with the pick of these tracks collected on the Super Reggae and Soul Hits album in 1973. Brown also recorded for Vincent "Randy" Chin
Vincent "Randy" Chin
Vincent "Randy" Chin was a Jamaican record producer and label owner who ran the Randy's shop, recording studio, and record label, later moving to New York City and setting up the VP Records empire, now the world's largest independent label and distributor of Caribbean music in the...
("Cheater"), Dennis Alcapone
Dennis Alcapone
Dennis Alcapone is a reggae DJ and producer.-Career:Smith initially trained as a welder and worked for the Jamaica Public Services...
("I Was Lonely"), and Herman Chin Loy
Herman Chin Loy
Herman Chin Loy is a Jamaican record producer, best known for his productions from the late 1960s and early 1970s of artists such as Augustus Pablo, Dennis Brown, Alton Ellis and Bruce Ruffin, and for the Aquarius and Scorpio labels that he ran. He is a Chinese Jamaican.-Biography:When Lloyd A...
("It's Too Late" and "Song My Mother Used to Sing") among others, with Brown still at school at this stage of his career.
International success
In 1972, Brown began an association that would result in his breakthrough as an internationally successful artist; He was asked by Joe GibbsJoe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
to record an album for him, and one of the tracks recorded as a result, "Money in my Pocket", was a hit with UK reggae audiences and quickly became a favourite of his live performances. This original version of "Money in my Pocket" was in fact produced by Winston "Niney" Holness on behalf of Gibbs, with musical backing from the Soul Syndicate
Soul Syndicate
Soul Syndicate, originally called the Rhythm Raiders, were one of the top reggae session bands in Jamaica from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s.-History:...
. In the same year, Brown performed as part of a Christmas morning showcase in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, along with Delroy Wilson, Scotty, Errol Dunkley, and the Fabulous Flames, where he was billed as the "Boy Wonder of Jamaica" and was considered the star of the show in a local newspaper review. The song's popularity in the UK was further cemented with the release a deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
version, "A-So We Stay (Money in Hand)", credited to Big Youth
Big Youth
Manley Augustus Buchanan , better known as Big Youth , is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his work during the 1970s....
and Dennis Brown, which outsold the original single and topped the Jamaican singles chart. Brown and Holness became close, even sharing a house in Pembroke Hall. Brown followed this with another collaboration with Holness on "Westbound Train", which was the biggest Jamaican hit of summer 1973, and Brown's star status was confirmed when he was voted Jamaica's top male vocalist in a poll by Swing magazine the same year. Brown followed this success with "Cassandra" and "No More Will I Roam", and tracks such as "Africa" and "Love Jah", displaying Brown's Rastafari beliefs, became staples on London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's sound system scene. In 1973, Brown was hospitalized due to fatigue caused by overwork, although at the time rumours spread that he only had one lung and had only a week to live, or had contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He was advised to take an extended break from performing and concentrated instead on his college studies.
Brown returned to music and toured the United Kingdom for the first time in late summer 1974 as part of a Jamaican showcase, along with Cynthia Richards
Cynthia Richards
Cynthia Richards is a Jamaican singer whose career began in the 1960s.-Biography:Born in Disney Land, Kingston, Jamaica, in 1944, Richards attended the Denham Town Primary School where after impressing teachers with a performance at an end-of-term concert she was encouraged to appear on the Vere...
, Al Brown, Sharon Forrester
Sharon Forrester
Sharon Forrester is a Jamaican reggae singer who had success in the 1970s and 1990s.-Biography:Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1956, Forrester was born into a musical family and began singing at an early age, singing in church choirs from the age of six...
, and The Maytals, after which he was invited to stay on for further dates (where he was backed by The Cimarons
The Cimarons
The Cimarons were a UK reggae band formed in 1967. They were the UK's first self-contained indigenous reggae band.-History:Jamaican natives, the Cimarons migrated to Britain in 1967 with a lineup consisting of Franklyn Dunn , Carl Levy , Locksley Gichie , and Maurice Ellis ; vocalist, Winston Reid...
, staying in the UK for another three months. While in the UK, he recorded for the first time since his hospitalization, working with producer Sydney Crooks
Sydney Crooks
Sydney Crooks , also known as Sidney Crooks, Sidney George, Luddy Pioneer, and Luddy Crooks, is a Jamaican singer and record producer, and a member of The Pioneers since 1962.-Biography:Crooks was born in Westmoreland and after moving to Trench Town aged 17, entered the music business in...
, and again backed by the Cimarons. While Brown was in the UK, Gibbs released an album collecting recordings made earlier in Jamaica, released as The Best of Dennis Brown, and Brown's first single to get a proper UK release was issued on the Synda label - "No More Will I Roam". He returned to Jamaica for Christmas, but six weeks later was back in the UK, now with Holness in tow as his business manager, to negotiate a record deal with Trojan Records
Trojan Records
Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
, the first Brown album to be released as a result being Just Dennis, although the pair would be left out of pocket after Trojan's collapse and subsequent buyout by Saga Records. On their return to Jamaica, Brown and Holness resumed recording in earnest with tracks for a new album, including "So Long Rastafari", "Boasting", and "Open the Gate". During 1975, Brown also recorded one-off sessions for Sonia Pottinger
Sonia Pottinger
Sonia Eloise Pottinger OD was a Jamaican reggae record producer.The most important Jamaican woman involved in music business, Sonia Pottinger was the first female Jamaican record producer and produced artists from the mid 1960s until the mid 1980s.Married to music producer Lyndon Pottinger, she...
("If You leave Me") and Bunny Lee
Bunny Lee
Edward O'Sullivan Lee, better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee is a prominent, prolific and successful record producer best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
("So Much Pain", a duet with Johnny Clarke
Johnny Clarke
Johnny Clarke , Whitfield Town, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae musician.-Biography:Clarke grew up in the Kingston ghetto of Whitfield Town. In 1971 he won a talent contest in Bull Bay, his prize a meeting with producer Clancy Eccles, with whom he recorded his first song, "God Made the Sea and the...
), and the first recordings began to appear on Brown's new DEB Music label. In the wake of the Trojan collapse, Brown and Holness arranged a deal with local independent label owners Castro Brown (who ran Morpheus Records) and Larry Lawrence (Ethnic Fight) to distribute their releases in the UK. Brown saw the UK as the most important market to target and performed for five consecutive nights at the Georgian Club in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
to raise funds to start his new DEB Music label with Castro Brown. In early 1976, Castro secured a deal with Radio London
Radio London
Radio London may refer to one of the following radio stations:*A popular name for the BBC World Service in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II*The station now known as BBC London 94.9...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Charlie Gillett
Charlie Gillett
Charlie Gillett , was a British radio presenter, musicologist and writer, mainly on rock and roll and other forms of popular music...
for Morpheus (and hence DEB) output to be issued through the latter's Oval Records, which had a distribution deal with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, but after a dispute over Castro's separate supply of these records to London record shops, the deal was scrapped and the early DEB releases suffered from a lack of promotion. Later that year, Brown voiced two tracks at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark
Black Ark
The Black Ark was the recording studio of reggae and dub producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, built in 1973 and located behind his family's home in the Washington Gardens neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica...
studio, "Take a Trip to Zion" and "Wolf and Leopard", the latter of which was a massive hit in Jamaica and would prove to be one of Brown's most popular songs, with a lyric criticizing those criminals who "rode the natty dread bandwagon". Brown confirmed in an interview in Black Echoes
Black Echoes
Black Echoes is a Jamaican music show which has been broadcasting on radio in Dublin, Ireland. The show airs a range of music, including reggae, ska, rock-steady and dub. The show is presented by John Public, and produced by Miss Pat alongside Broadcast Assistant Denzil Lacey The show broadcasts on...
that he had parted company with Holness, stating that "I was going along with one man's ideas for too long. Niney was trying to find a new beat at all times, which was disconcerting, so I hadn't been working with my true abilities. Now I know that I can produce myself".
Brown began working again with Joe Gibbs, with an agreement that in return for studio time for his own productions, Brown would allow Gibbs use of any rhythm recorded in the process. The first album from this arrangement, the 1977 release Visions of Dennis Brown
Visions of Dennis Brown
Visions of Dennis Brown is a 1978 reggae album by Dennis Brown.-Recording:The album was the first to come out of Brown's second stint with producer Joe Gibbs, with whom he would have his breakthrough international success, and the album played a major part in establishing the dominant position of...
, gave him his biggest success so far, blending conscious themes and love songs, and confirming Brown's transformation from child star to grown up artist. The biblical-themed sleeve and portrait of Haile Selassie on the back complemented the roots reggae
Roots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
tracks on the album, including "Repatriation", "Jah Can Do it", and cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of Earl 16's "Malcolm X" and Clive Hunt
Clive Hunt
Clive Hunt is a Jamaican reggae multi-instrumentist, arranger, composer and producer.-Biography:...
's "Milk and Honey". The album immediately entered the Black Echoes chart and stayed there well into the following year, although it was only available in the UK as an expensive import. Visions... was voted reggae album of the year by Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
writers and was given the same award by readers of Black Echoes. A reissued "Wolf and Leopard" single, and the eventual album release of the same name also sold well in the UK, both topping the Black Echoes chart.
Brown toured the UK in Autumn 1977 with Big Youth, and described the tour: "It's like I was appointed to deliver certain messages and now is the time to deliver them". He had also begun producing recordings by his protege, Junior Delgado
Junior Delgado
Oscar Hibbert , better known as Junior Delgado, was a reggae singer, famed for his roots style.-Biography:...
. In 1978, Brown moved to live in London, and set up premises in Battersea Rise, near Clapham Junction to relaunch the DEB Music label with Castro Brown, with artists featured on the label including Junior Delgado, 15.16.17, Bob Andy
Bob Andy
Bob Andy is a Jamaican reggae vocalist and songwriter. He is widely regarded as one of reggae's most influential songwriters.-Career:...
, Lennox Brown, and later, Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
. Brown had further success himself with a discomix
Discomix
A discomix, or simply a disco, is an extended reggae 12-inch single that typically features the vocal track followed by a dub version or a deejay version of the same track. The format became popular in the mid-1970s, with the extended bass range of 12-inch singles being better suited to dub music...
of "How Could I Leave You", a version of The Sharks' rocksteady standard "How Could I Live" with accompanying toast by Prince Mohamed
George Nooks
George Nooks, aka Prince Mohamed, Prince Mohammed, or George Knooks is a reggae singer who initially found fame as a deejay.-Biography:...
. In March 1978, Brown flew to Jamaica, where he was booked at the last minute to perform at the One Love Peace Concert
One Love Peace Concert
The One Love Peace Concert was a large concert held on April 22, 1978 at The National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's National Party...
at the National Arena, backed by Lloyd Parks
Lloyd Parks
Lloyd Parks is a reggae vocalist and bass player.-Biography:Parks' interest in music was fuelled by his uncle Dourie Bryan, who played in a calypso band, and Parks became the band's singer...
' We The People Band. Visions of Dennis Brown was given a wider distribution via a deal between Lightning Records and WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
and topped the UK reggae album chart in September 1978, this chart run lasting for five months. In August 1978, Brown returned to the UK, bringing Junior Delgado with him, and DEB Music released a series of singles, although they sold moderately compared to the label's earlier successes, but in the same month, Brown's breakthrough single was first released. Initially released as a discomix featuring a new version of "Money in my Pocket" and the deejay version "Cool Runnings" by Price Mohamed, which became unavailable for a time after quickly selling out its first pressing, this single gave Brown his first UK Top 40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, reaching #14 the following year and becoming one of the biggest international hits in Jamaica's history, after crossing over first into soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
clubs and then rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
clubs. This success led to Brown featuring on the cover of the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
in February 1979.
Brown's next two albums were both released on DEB - So Long Rastafari and Joseph's Coat of Many Colours, although the label was closed down in 1979, after which Brown again did the rounds of Jamaica's top producers, as well as continuing self-productions with singles such as "The Little Village" and "Do I Worry?" in 1981.
A&M and the dancehall era
With continuing commercial success, Brown signed an international deal with A&M RecordsA&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
in 1981, and now based permanently in the UK, his first album release for the label was the Gibbs-produced Foul Play
Foul Play (album)
Foul Play is a 1981 album by reggae singer Dennis Brown, the first of three albums to be released as part of his international record deal with A&M. The album features two tracks which have been described as "two of the greatest roots cuts in major label history", in "The Existence of Jah" and "The...
, which while not wholly a success included the roots tracks "The Existence of Jah" and "The World is Troubled". This was followed in 1982 by Love Has Found its Way, a Gibbs/Brown/Willie Lindo production which blended lovers rock with a more 'pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
' sound, and again was not a great success. His final album with the label, 1983's The Prophet Rides Again again mixed roots themes with commercial R&B style tracks, and proved to be his swansong with the label. While his association with A&M had taken him in a more commercial pop direction, Kingston's music scene had shifted towards the new dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
era, and Brown enthusiatically adapted to the new sound, recording for some of the genre's major producers including Prince Jammy and Gussie Clarke
Gussie Clarke
Augustus "Gussie" Clarke , is a reggae producer who worked with some of the top Jamaican reggae artists in the 1970s and later set up his own Music Works studio.-Career:...
. In the early 1980s he also started a new label, Yvonne's Special, dedicated to his wife. In 1984, he collaborated with Gregory Isaacs on the album Two Bad Superstars Meet and the hit single "Let aaf Sum'n", recorded with Sly & Robbie and Jammy, which was followed by a second album featuring the two stars, Judge Not, in 1985. Brown released a huge amount of work through the 1980s, including the 1986 Jammy-produced album The Exit, but his biggest success of the decade came in 1989 with the Gussie Clarke-produced duet with Isaacs "Big All Round", and the album Unchallenged. He continued to record prolifically in the 1990s, notably on the Three Against War album in 1995 with Beenie Man
Beenie Man
Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
and Triston Palmer
Triston Palmer
Triston Palmer aka Triston or Tristan Palma is a reggae singer/deejay active since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
, and on albums produced by Mikey Bennett, and his profile in the United States was raised by a series of album releases on RAS Records
RAS Records
RAS Records, also known as Real Authentic Sound, is a reggae record label.-History:RAS Records was founded in 1979 by Doctor Dread. In his travels to Jamaica he created a network within the reggae artist community there. By the early to mid 1980s RAS had signed artists such as Black Uhuru, Inner...
. In the late 1990s he was managed by Tommy Cowan
Tommy Cowan
Tommy Cowan is a producer and singer, initially working in reggae but later concentrating on gospel, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s...
, who contrasted Brown to Bob Marley, who he had also managed, stating "Bob Marley was a serious businessman, I don't think Dennis was as serious when it came to investment. Dennis was like a community person, he would earn money and in one hour he would give it away." Brown said of his approach to songwriting in the late 1990s:
"When I write a song I try to follow Joseph's way - deliverance through vision from all - true vibration. I want to be a shepherd in my work, teaching and learning, really singing so much. I don't want to sing and not live it. I must live it. If I can sing songs that people can watch me living, then they can take my work"
Brown's 1994 album Light My Fire was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, as was the last album recorded by Brown, Let Me Be the One (in 2001).
Death
In the late 1990s, Brown's health began to deteriorate, with longstanding respiratory problems exacerbated by cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
use leading to him being taken ill in May 1999, after touring in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
with other reggae singers, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. After returning to Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, on the evening of June 30, 1999, he was rushed to Kingston's University Hospital
Teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital that provides clinical education and training to future and current doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, in addition to delivering medical care to patients...
, suffering from cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
. Brown died the next day, and the official cause of his death was a collapsed lung
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity of the chest between the lung and the chest wall. It may occur spontaneously in people without chronic lung conditions as well as in those with lung disease , and many pneumothoraces occur after physical trauma to the chest, blast...
, although his cocaine habit was considered a contributing factor. Sitting Jamaican Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Jamaica
The Prime Minister of Jamaica is Jamaica's head of government, currently Andrew Holness. Andrew Holness was elected as the new leader of the governing Jamaica Labour Party and succeeded Bruce Golding to become Jamaica's ninth Prime Minister on 23 October 2011...
P. J. Patterson
P. J. Patterson
Percival Noel James Patterson, ON, QC, PC, O.E., was the sixth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. Until February 2006 he was the leader of the Jamaican People's National Party . The new PNP leader, Portia Simpson-Miller, took over as Prime Minister on 30 March 2006...
and former prime minister, serving at the time as opposition leader, Edward Seaga
Edward Seaga
Edward Philip George Seaga ON PC was the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1980 to 1989 and Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party from 1974 to 2005. He served as leader of the opposition from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1989 until January 2005...
of the Jamaica Labour Party
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party. Despite its name, the JLP is a centre-right, conservative party.-Background:...
both spoke at Brown's funeral, which was held on July 17, 1999 in Kingston. The service, which lasted for three hours, also featured live performances by Maxi Priest
Maxi Priest
Max Alfred "Maxi" Priest is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most...
, Shaggy, and five of Brown's sons. Brown was then buried at Kingston's National Heroes Park
National Heroes Park
National Heroes Park is a botanical garden in Kingston, Jamaica. The largest open space in Kingston at 20 hectares in size, National Heroes Park features numerous monuments, and is the burial site of many of Jamaica's National Heroes, Prime Ministers, and cultural leaders.-History:Founded in 1783,...
. Brown was survived by his wife Yvonne and thirteen children. Jamaica's Prime Minister P. J. Patterson
P. J. Patterson
Percival Noel James Patterson, ON, QC, PC, O.E., was the sixth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. Until February 2006 he was the leader of the Jamaican People's National Party . The new PNP leader, Portia Simpson-Miller, took over as Prime Minister on 30 March 2006...
paid tribute to Brown, saying "Over the years, Dennis Brown has distinguished himself as one of the finest and most talented musicians of our time. The Crown Prince of Reggae as he was commonly called. He has left us with a vast repertoire of songs which will continue to satisfy the hearts and minds of us all for generations to come."
Legacy
Dennis Brown was an inspiration and influence for many reggae singers from the late 1970s through to the 2000s, including Barrington LevyBarrington Levy
Barrington Levy is a reggae and dancehall artist from Jamaica.-Career:In 1976, Levy formed a band with his cousin, Everton Dacres, called the Mighty Multitude; the pair released "My Black Girl" in 1977...
, Junior Reid
Junior Reid
Delroy "Junior" Reid is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician, best known for the songs "One Blood" and "Funny Man", as well as being the man that replaced Michael Rose as lead vocalist for Black Uhuru.-Biography:...
, Frankie Paul
Frankie Paul
Paul Blake , better known as Frankie Paul, is one of Jamaica's best-loved and popular dancehall reggae artists. Born blind, he has been dubbed by some 'The Jamaican Stevie Wonder'.-Biography:...
, Luciano
Luciano (singer)
Luciano is a Jamaican second generation roots reggae artist and poet....
, Bushman
Bushman (reggae singer)
Bushman is a Jamaican reggae singer. He was raised in the Rastafari culture from a young age.-Biography:Born Dwight Duncan in Prospect Beach, St. Thomas, Jamaica in 1973, he was raised as a Rastafarian. He attended the Lysson All Age School, where his music teacher noticed his potential for music...
, and Richie Stephens
Richie Stephens
Richard Frederick Freeman Stephenson III, better known as Richie Stephens is a Jamaican R&B, dancehall and reggae singer and producer.-Biography:...
. In July 1999, a group of UK-based musicians and more than fifty vocalists working under the collective name The British Reggae All Stars (including Mafia & Fluxy
Mafia & Fluxy
Mafia & Fluxy are a United Kingdom reggae rhythm section and production team consisting of brothers Leroy and David Heywood , whose careers began with London reggae band The Instigators in 1977...
, Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie, Peter Hunnigale
Peter Hunnigale
Peter Hunnigale, also known as Mr. Honey Vibes is a British reggae singer best known for his lovers rock releases.-Biography:Hunnigale started his career as bass guitarist with the Vibes Corner Collective...
, Louisa Mark
Louisa Mark
Louisa Lynthia Mark, also known as 'Markswoman' was a British lovers rock singer best known for her work between the mid-1970s and early 1980s...
, Nerious Joseph, and Sylvia Tella
Sylvia Tella
Sylvia Tella is a British lovers rock singer, who after working as a vocalist for Boney M embarked on a successful solo career, releasing her first album in 1981. She had a top 40 hit in 1989 in collaboration with the Blow Monkeys.-Biography:Born c.1960 in Manchester, England, Tella's career began...
) recorded "Tribute Song", a medley of six of Brown's best-known songs, in memory of Brown.
He was honoured on the first anniversary of his death by a massive memorial concert in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, which featured performances from Johnny Osbourne
Johnny Osbourne
Johnny Osbourne is a popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, who rose to success in the late 1970s and mid 1980s. His album Truths and Rights was a notable roots reggae success, and featured "Jah Promise" and the album's title track, "Truths and Rights"...
, Micky Jarrett, Delano Tucker, and Half Pint. In 2001, a charitable trust was set up in Brown's name. The Dennis Emanuel Brown Trust works to educate youngsters, maintain and advance the memory of Dennis Brown, and help to provide youngsters with musical instruments. The trust awards the Dennis Emanuel Brown (DEB) bursary for educational achievement each year to students between the ages of 10–12 years. In 2005, George Nooks
George Nooks
George Nooks, aka Prince Mohamed, Prince Mohammed, or George Knooks is a reggae singer who initially found fame as a deejay.-Biography:...
, who had worked with Brown in the mid-1970s in his deejay guise as Prince Mohamed, released an album of Brown covers, George Nooks Sings Dennis Brown: The Voice Lives On, with Nooks stating "I was always inspired by his talent and I used to sing like him. Dennis had a whole heap of influence on me. To me he was the greatest. He was my number one singer." In the same year, Gregory Isaacs paid a similar tribute with the album Gregory Isaacs Sings Dennis Brown. In February 2007, a series of events were staged in Jamaica in celebration of the lives of both Brown and Marley (both would have had birthdays that month). In 2008, the Dennis Brown Trust announced a new internet radio station, dedicated solely to the music of Dennis Brown, and in the same month a tribute concert was staged by the Jamaican Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA) featuring Dwight Pinkney
Dwight Pinkney
Dwight Pinkney , also known as Brother Dee, is a Jamaican guitarist best known for his work as a session musician and as a member of Zap Pow and the Roots Radics, who since 1999 has recorded as a solo artist.-Biography:...
, Derrick Harriott, Sugar Minott
Sugar Minott
Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
, George Nooks, and John Holt
John Holt (singer)
John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
.
Songs about or dedicated to Brown include "Song for Dennis Brown" by The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
, "If This World Were Mine" by Slightly Stoopid
Slightly Stoopid
Slightly Stoopid is an American band based in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of acoustic rock and blues with reggae, hip-hop, and punk". As a band, they have released eight albums with their sixth studio album, entitled Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat...
, "Drive" by Pepper (band)
Pepper (band)
Pepper is a rock band originally from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The band's music is often classified as a combination of reggae, dub and rock. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Kaleo Wassman, vocalist/bassist Bret Bollinger, and drummer Yesod Williams...
, and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's "Whitney Houston Dub Plate" on The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book
The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book
The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book is the second studio album released by Haitian singer Wyclef Jean. It was certified platinum in the UK in 2001...
album by Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
.
On 26 April 2010, Brown was featured on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
Morning Edition
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
news program as one of the '50 Great Voices - The stories of awe-inspiring voices from around the world and across time'. The NPR '50 Great Voices' list includes Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
and Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
amongst others.
On 6 August 2011, being the 49th anniversary of the country's independence, the Governor-General of Jamaica
Governor-General of Jamaica
The Governor-General of Jamaica represents the Jamaican monarch, and head of state, who holds the title of King or Queen of Jamaica ....
posthumously conferred the Order of Distinction
Order of distinction
The Order of Distinction in Jamaica is the fifth in order of precedence of the Orders of Societies of Honour, which were instituted by an Act of Parliament – The National Honours and Awards Act.The Motto of the Order is "Distinction Through Service"....
in the rank of Commander (CD) upon Brown, for his contribution to the Jamaican music industry.
Studio albums
- 1970 - No Man is an IslandNo Man is an Island (album)No Man is an Island is the debut album from reggae singer Dennis Brown. Recorded when Brown was aged between twelve and thirteen, during 1969 and 1970, it includes his debut single, a cover of The Impressions' hit "No Man is an Island", a song he had originally worked on with producer Derrick...
(Studio One) - 1971 - If I Follow My Heart (Studio One)
- 1972 - Super Reggae & Soul Hits (Crystal/TrojanTrojan RecordsTrojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
) - 1974 - The Best of Dennis Brown (Joe Gibbs) aka Best of Part 1 (1979, Joe Gibbs)
- 1975 - Deep Down (Observer), reissued in 1979 as So Long Rastafari (Harry J)
- 1975 - Just Dennis (Observer/Trojan)
- 1977 - Superstar (Micron)
- 1977 - Wolf & LeopardsWolf & LeopardsWolf and Leopards is a 1977 reggae album by Dennis Brown.-Recording:Recorded between 1976 and 1977 and released on Brown's own DEB label in the UK and on the Weed Beat label in Jamaica, the album comprises ten tracks originally released on singles that concentrate on cultural themes and mark the...
(DEB/Weed Beat) - 1977 - Dennis Brown Meets Harry Hippy (Pioneer)(with Harry HippyJackie Robinson (musician)Jackie Robinson is a Jamaican singer, best known as the lead vocalist with The Pioneers, but who has also recorded solo material both under his own name, and under the pseudonym Harry Hippy.-Biography:...
) - 1978 - Westbound Train (Third World), aka Africa (Celluloid)
- 1978 - Visions of Dennis BrownVisions of Dennis BrownVisions of Dennis Brown is a 1978 reggae album by Dennis Brown.-Recording:The album was the first to come out of Brown's second stint with producer Joe Gibbs, with whom he would have his breakthrough international success, and the album played a major part in establishing the dominant position of...
(Joe Gibbs) - 1979 - Joseph's Coat Of Many Colors (DEB)
- 1979 - Words of Wisdom (Joe Gibbs/Atlantic)
- 1980 - Spellbound (Joe Gibbs/Laser)
- 1981 - Money In My Pocket (Trojan)
- 1981 - Foul PlayFoul Play (album)Foul Play is a 1981 album by reggae singer Dennis Brown, the first of three albums to be released as part of his international record deal with A&M. The album features two tracks which have been described as "two of the greatest roots cuts in major label history", in "The Existence of Jah" and "The...
(Joe Gibbs/A&M) - 1982 - Best Of Part 2 (Joe Gibbs)
- 1982 - Love Has Found Its Way (Joe Gibbs/A&M) (UK #72)
- 1982 - More (Yvonne's Special)
- 1982 - Stage Coach Showcase (Yvonne's Special)
- 1982 - Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow (Joe Gibbs)
- 1983 - Satisfaction Feeling (Yvonne's Special/Tad's)
- 1983 - The Prophet Rides Again (A&M)
- 1984 - Judge Not (with Gregory IsaacsGregory IsaacsGregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
) (Music Works/GreensleevesGreensleeves RecordsGreensleeves Records & Publishing is a record label specialising in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick and started as a small record store in West Ealing, London, in November 1975 and is based in Britain....
) - 1984 - Two Bad Superstars (with Gregory Isaacs) (Burning Sounds)
- 1984 - Love's Got A Hold On Me (Joe Gibbs)
- 1984 - Revolution (Taxi/Yvonne's Special)
- 1984 - Reggae Super Stars Meet (with Horace AndyHorace AndyHorace Andy is a roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as "Government Land", "Angel", "Five Man Army" and a cover version of "Ain't No Sunshine"....
) (Striker Lee) - 1985 - Slow Down (Music Works/Greensleeves)
- 1985 - Wake Up (Natty Congo)
- 1985 - Wild Fire (with John HoltJohn Holt (singer)John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
) (Natty Congo) - 1986 - Brown Sugar (Taxi)
- 1986 - Baalgad (with Enos McLeodEnos McLeodEnos McLeod is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer whose career dates to the mid-1960s.-Biography:McLeod was born in 1946 in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica, and before his career in music he trained as a cabinet-maker and a boxer. His debut release was "Mackie", which was produced by Sid...
) (Goodies) - 1986 - History (Live & Love)
- 1986 - Hold Tight (Live & learn)
- 1986 - The Exit (Jammy's)
- 1987 - So Amazing (with Janet KayJanet KayJanet Kay is a British singer of Jamaican parentage best known for her lovers rock songs of the late 1970s - "Silly Games" and a cover of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You". She has also had roles as a theatre and television actress...
) (Trojan) - 1988 - Inseparable (WKS)
- 1989 - No Contest (with Gregory Isaacs) (Music Works/Greensleeves)
- 1989 - Death Before Dishonour (Tappa)
- 1989 - Good Vibrations (Yvonne's Special)
- 1990 - Over Proof (Greensleeves)
- 1990 - Unchallenged (Music Works/Greensleeves)
- 1990 - Reggae Giants (with Freddie McGregorFreddie McGregorFreddie McGregor has been variously a singer, musician and producer. According to Allmusic he is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with a steady career that started in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old.-Biography:In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to...
) (Rocky One) - 1990 - Sarge (Yvonne's Special)
- 1991 - Victory is Mine (Legga/RASRAS RecordsRAS Records, also known as Real Authentic Sound, is a reggae record label.-History:RAS Records was founded in 1979 by Doctor Dread. In his travels to Jamaica he created a network within the reggae artist community there. By the early to mid 1980s RAS had signed artists such as Black Uhuru, Inner...
) - 1992 - Another Day in Paradise (Trojan)
- 1992 - Beautiful Morning (World Record)
- 1992 - Blazing (Two Friends/ShanachieShanachie RecordsShanachie Records was founded in 1976 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. According to Harvey Pekar , it is one of the largest independent record labels in the world, and is currently distributed by E1 Music. Starting as a label that specialized in fiddle music, they began releasing work by Celtic...
/Greensleeves) - 1992 - Friends For Life (Black Scorpio/Shanachie)
- 1992 - Limited Edition (Artistic/VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
/Greensleeves) - 1992 - If I Didn't Love You
- 1992 - Cosmic (Observer)
- 1993 - Cosmic Force (Heartbeat)
- 1993 - The General (VP)
- 1993 - Legit (with Freddie McGregor & Cocoa TeaCocoa TeaCocoa Tea is a Jamaican reggae/dancehall singer, songwriter, and DJ.- Biography :Cocoa Tea was popular in Jamaica from 1985, but has become successful worldwide only since the 1990s...
) (Greensleeves/Shanachie) - 1993 - Rare Grooves Reggae Rhythm & Blues (Body Music/Yvonne's Special)
- 199? - Rare Grooves Reggae Rhythm & Blues vol. 2 (Yvonne's Special)
- 1993 - Songs of Emanuel (Yvonne's Special/Sonic Sounds)
- 1993 - Unforgettable (Jammy's)
- 1993 - Hotter Flames (with Frankie PaulFrankie PaulPaul Blake , better known as Frankie Paul, is one of Jamaica's best-loved and popular dancehall reggae artists. Born blind, he has been dubbed by some 'The Jamaican Stevie Wonder'.-Biography:...
) (VP) - 1993 - Give Praises (Tappa)
- 1993 - It's The Right Time
- 1994 - 3 Against War (with Triston PalmerTriston PalmerTriston Palmer aka Triston or Tristan Palma is a reggae singer/deejay active since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
& Beenie ManBeenie ManAnthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
) (VP) - 1994 - Blood Brothers (with Gregory Isaacs) (RAS)
- 1994 - Light My Fire (HeartbeatHeartbeat RecordsHeartbeat Records is an independent record label based in Burlington , Massachusetts. The label specializes in Jamaican music. Founded by reggae music enthusiasts Bill Nowlin and Duncan Brown, the label's first release was a vinyl LP reissue of Linton Kwesi Johnson's Dread Beat an' Blood...
) - 1994 - Nothing Like This (Greensleeves/RAS)
- 1994 - Party Time (with John HoltJohn Holt (singer)John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
) (Sonic Sounds) - 1994 - Vision of the Reggae King (Gold Mine/VP)
- 1995 - I Don't Know (Grapevine/Dynamite)
- 1995 - Temperature Rising (Trojan)
- 1995 - Dennis Brown and Friends (with Sugar MinottSugar MinottLincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
& Justin HindsJustin HindsJustin Hinds was a Jamaican ska vocalist, with his backing singers the Dominoes.He is best known for his work with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Records, where his most notable song, "Carry Go Bring Come" recorded in late 1963, went to number one in Jamaica...
) (Jamaican Authentic Classics) - 1995 - The Facts of Life (Diamond Rush)
- 1995 - You Got the Best of Me (Saxon)
- 1996 - Could It Be (VP)
- 1996 - Lovers Paradise (House of Reggae)
- 1996 - Milk & Honey (RAS)
- 1997 - Meet at the Penthouse (with Leroy SmartLeroy Smart-Biography:Smart was born in 1952 and orphaned aged 2. He was raised at Maxfield Park Children's Home and educated at Alpha Boys School, where he studied singing, drums and dancing....
) (Rhino) - 1998 - One of a Kind (Imaj)
- 1999 - Believe in Yourself (Don One/TP)
- 1999 - Bless Me Jah (RAS/Charm)
- 1999 - Generosity (Gator)
Posthumous releases and compilations
- 1983 - The Best of Dennis Brown (Blue Moon)
- 1987 - Greatest Hits (Rohit)
- 1987 - My Time (Rohit)
- 1990 - Go Now (Rohit)
- 1991 - Classic Gold (Rocky One)
- 1992 - Kollection (Gong Sounds)
- 1992 - Some Like It Hot (Heartbeat)
- 1992 - Classic Hits (Sonic Sounds)
- 1993 - Best Of - Musical Heatwave 1972-75 (Trojan)
- 1993 - 20 Magnificent Hits (Thunderbolt)
- 1993 - It's the Right Time (Rhino)
- 1994 - The Prime of Dennis Brown (Music Club)
- 1994 - Early Days (Sonic Sounds)
- 1995 - Africa - the Best of Dennis Brown vol. 1 (Esoldun)
- 1995 - Travelling Man - the Best of Dennis Brown vol. 2 (Esoldun)
- 1995 - Open The Gate - Greatest Hits Volume II (Heartbeat)
- 1995 - Joy in the Morning (Lagoon)
- 1996 - Hit After Hit (Rocky One)
- 1996 - The Very Best of Dennis Brown (Rhino)
- 1996 - Love & Hate: The Best of Dennis Brown (VP)
- 1996 - The Crown Prince (World Records)
- 1997 - Money in My Pocket (Delta Music)
- 1997 - Maximum Replay (Gone Clear)
- 1997 - Ras Portraits (RAS)
- 1997 - Reggae Max (Jet Star)
- 1998 - The Prime of Dennis Brown (Music Club)
- 1998 - Watch This Sound (Jamaican Gold)
- 1998 - Lovers Paradise (Time Music)
- 1998 - Tracks of Life (Snapper)
- 1999 - The Godlike Genius of Dennis Brown (Dressed to Kill)
- 1999 - Reggae Legends vol. 2 (Artists Only)
- 1999 - In the Mood (CharlyCharly RecordsCharly Records is a British record label which specialises in reissued material.-History:Among the labels whose original releases are reissued by Charly are Vee-Jay, Sun, Immediate, BYG, Tomato, and Fania. Charly Records was founded in France in 1974 by Jean-Luc Young, who had been a promoter of...
) - 1999 - Greatest Hits (Charly)
- 1999 - Love is So True (Prism)
- 1999 - Stone Cold World (VP)
- 1999 - Ready We Ready (Super Power)
- 1999 - Tribulation (PDG/Heartbeat)
- 1999 - The Great Mr Brown
- 2000 - May Your Food Basket Never Empty (RAS)
- 2000 - Reggae Trilogy (with Glen Washington & Gregory Isaacs) (J&D)
- 2000 - We are all One (J&D)
- 2000 - The Crown Prince (Metro)
- 2000 - Let Me be the One (VP)
- 2001 - Cassandra (Starburst)
- 2001 - Love's Got a Hold on You (Artists Only)
- 2001 - Money in My Pocket: Anthology (Trojan)
- 2001 - Any Day Now (Heartbeat)
- 2001 - Essential (Next Music)
- 2001 - Archives (Trojan)
- 2001 - The Prime of Dennis Brown (Music Club)
- 2002 - Dennis Brown In Dub (with Niney the ObserverNiney the ObserverWinston Holness, better known as Niney the Observer , is a Jamaican record producer and singer who was a key figure in the creation of many classic reggae recordings dating from the 1970s and early 1980s....
) (Rounder/Heartbeat) - 2002 - You Satisfy My Soul (Fat Man)
- 2002 - Memorial: Featuring John Holt (Jetstar)
- 2002 - The Promised Land 1977-79 (Blood & Fire)
- 2002 - Winning Combinations (with Bunny WailerBunny WailerBunny Wailer, , also known as Bunny Livingston and affectionately as Jah B, is a singer songwriter and percussionist and was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh...
) (Universal) - 2002 - Memorial (Jetstar)
- 2002 - Forever Dennis (Jetstar/Reggae Road)
- 2003 - The Complete A&M Years (A&M)
- 2003 - Dennis Brown Sings Gregory Isaacs (RAS)
- 2003 - Crown Prince (Trojan)
- 2004 - Dennis Brown Conqueror: An Essential Collection (Burning Bush)
- 2005 - Money in My Pocket: The Definitive Collection (Trojan)
- 2005 - Sings Revival Classics (Cousins)
- 2005 - At the Foot of the Mountain (Charm)
- 2006 - Sledgehammer Special (with King TubbyKing TubbyKing Tubby was a Jamaican electronics and sound engineer, known primarily for his influence on the development of dub in the 1960s and 1970s...
) - 2006 - Taxi 3 Trio (with Gregory Isaacs & Sugar Minott) (Taxi)
- 2008 - A Little Bit More: Joe Gibbs 12" Selection 1978-1983 (VP)
Live albums
- 1979 - Live at Montreux (Laser/Joe Gibbs)
- 1987 - In Concert (Ayeola)
- 1992 - Live in Montego Bay (Sonic Sounds)
- 2000 - Academy (Orange Street)
- 2001 - Best of Reggae Live (Innerbeat)
- 2001 - Best of Reggae Live vol. 2 (Innerbeat)
- 2003 - Live in New York (Ital International)
DVD & Video
- The Living Legend (VHS; Keeling Videos)
- Rock Steady Roll Call (VHS; Ruff Neck)
- Stars in the East (with John Holt) (VHS/DVD; Ruff Neck)
- Inseparable volumes 1-4 (4 VHS volumes (199?)/2 DVD volumes (2004); Ruff Neck)
- Live at Montreux (1996; DVD; Synergie)
- Hits After Hits (2001; DVD; Keeling Videos)
- Live at Reggae Ganfest (2003; DVD; Contreband)
Productions of other artists
- 1977 - Various Artists - Black Echoes
- 1978 - The DEB Music Players - Umoja
- 1978 - The DEB Music Players - 20th Century DEB-Wise
- 1979 - The DEB Music Players - DJ Tracking
- 1979 - Junior Delgado - Effort
- 1979 - Junior Delgado - Taste of the Young Heart
- 1981 - Junior Delgado - More She Love It
- 1982 - Junior Delgado - Bush Master Revolution
- 1985 - Various Artists - 4 Star Showcase
- 199? - Various Artists - Return to Umoja
International hit singles
- "Money In My Pocket" (1977) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
No. 14 - "Love Has Found Its Way" (1982) - UK No. 47
- "Halfway Up Halfway Down" (1982) - UK No. 56
- "Senorita" (1988) - UK No. 95