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Heptones

Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewelyn first came together as "The Hep Ones" in 1965 in Kingston but they soon changed their name to "The Heptones". They were one of Jamaica’s finest, most important reggae harmony trios of the '60s and '70s.

During the '60s, the Heptones played a key role in the transition between ska and rocksteady. In the beginning of their career, they recorded for major Jamaican record producers under the watchful eye of Coxsone Dodd of Studio One, who later signed them to his Studio One label. Under his guidance, they honed their harmonies and Sibbles began to improve his songwriting skills.

The Heptones had a number of Jamaican hits for Studio One, beginning with "Fattie Fattie", their first Studio One single in 1966. This began a long run of success for Coxsone, including "Pretty Looks Isn't All", "Get In The Groove", "Ting a Ling", "Party Time", "I Hold the Handle" among others. They were the chief rivals to The Techniques, who recorded for Arthur "Duke" Reid, as the top vocal act of the rocksteady era.The Heptones remained with Dodd and Studio One through 1971, well into the reggae era, where they cut tunes such as "Message from a Black Man", "Love Won't Come Easy" and "I Love You". They worked with other producers such as Pablo and Rupie Edwards when they teamed up with Lee "Scratch" Perry, the one producer with the skills to update their sound without losing touch of the quality that made them so popular. They also recorded with Joe Gibbs, Harry J, for whom they cut the classics "Country Boy" and "Book of Rules" in 1973. Their first album with Perry, Party Time, which contained new versions of many of their best Studio One tracks, gained them international popularity. Leroy Sibbles emigrated to Canada in 1973, and the group ceased recording, returning in 1976 with "Cool Rasta" and "Night Food", produced by Scott "Harry J" Johnston.

In 1977, Sibbles left the trio again to launch a very successful solo career. Naggo Morris replaced him, and though the group has continued on, they have yet to regain their previous popularity. Despite being produced by Joseph Hoo Kim at Channel One, "Good Life" in 1979 saw the group treading water, and the years that followed brought little success. The original trio reunited in 1995, and released Pressure!, produced by Tappa Zukie.

Here are some tunes from the Heptones.

Fattie Fattie

Pretty looks isn’t all

Why did you leave

Only 16

Book of Rules

Country Boy

Cool Rasta

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