Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1950 – 25 October 2010) was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in The New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".

Early career

In his teenage years, Isaacs became a veteran of the talent contests that regularly took place in Jamaica. In 1968, he made his recording debut as Winston Sinclair, with the single "Another Heartache", recorded for producer Byron Lee. By the late 1970s, Isaacs was among the most prominent reggae performers, touring the US and the UK, and performing alongside Dennis Brown and Bob Marley. Between 1977 and 1978, Isaacs again teamed up with Alvin Ranglin, recording a string of hits including "Border" and "Number One" for Ranglin's GG's label.

He opened the Cash and Carry shop at 118 Orange Street, later moving to no. 125, next door to Prince Buster's Record Shack, which was also the base for the Cash and Carry record label that he ran with Trevor "Leggo" Douglas.

1980s-1990s career

In 1978, Isaacs signed with Virgin Records’ offshoot Front Line Records, and appeared in the film Rockers, in which he performed "Slavemaster". In 1981, he made his first appearance at the Reggae Sunsplash festival (returning annually until 1991), and he moved on to the Charisma Records offshoot Pre, who released his The Lonely Lover and More Gregory albums along with a string of increasingly successful singles including "Tune In", "Permanent Lover", "Wailing Rudie" and "Tribute to Waddy". He signed to Island Records and released the record that broke through to a wider audience, "Night Nurse", the title track from his first album for the label (Night Nurse (1982)). It was also used in adverts for an over the counter cold & flu remedy of the same name.

This success for Isaacs coincided with problems with cocaine. He served a six-month prison sentence in Kingston in 1982 for possession of unlicensed firearms. Isaacs claimed that he had the weapons only for protection, but it emerged that this was his 27th arrest and that he had become involved in drug dealing and was addicted to crack cocaine. This was followed in 2009 by the album My Kind Of Lady.

In 2010, Isaacs put out the last of his albums to be released while he was still living: Isaacs Meets Isaac, with Zimbabwean reggae singer King Isaac. In November 2010, Isaacs Meets Isaac was nominated for Best Reggae Album for the 2011 Grammy Awards, Isaacs's fourth Grammy nomination, and King Isaac's first.

thumb|An advertisement for a Gregory Isaacs concert in [[Negril, 2009]]

Death

Isaacs died of lung cancer on 25 October 2010 at his home in Harrow Weald, London. A memorial service was held on 20 November at Kingston's National Indoor Sports Centre, including a musical tribute from artists including Lloyd Parks and We the People Band, Ken Boothe, Freddie McGregor, Shaggy, Judy Mowatt, Mavado, the Tamlins and Bongo Herman, before his remains were interred at Dovecot Memorial Park & Crematorium.

Legacy

The Gregory Isaacs Foundation was set up on 15 July 2011 (Isaacs's birthday) by his wife June Wyndham, with the intention of continuing his charitable work. A year later a free concert was staged featuring artists such as U-Roy, Big Youth, and the Mighty Diamonds, to raise funds for two schools.

In July 2015, a mural by Junior Moore depicting Isaacs was unveiled at 125 Orange Street, the former site of his Cash and Carry shop and now the Leggo Recording Studios.

In October 2016 the UK branch of the Gregory Isaacs Foundation installed a commemorative blue plaque at 59 Weald Lane, Harrow, the house where Isaacs lived for the last three years of his life, with his British wife Linda Diane Isaacs (16.01.1948 - 21.06.2023). It was Linda's house, her son and grandchildren still live there. In February 2018, a blue plaque was unveiled at Isaacs's former home at 15 Sunrise Crescent in St. Andrew, with the foundation also announcing plans to open a museum dedicated to Isaacs at the site.

Discography

Solo albums

More than 500 Gregory Isaacs albums have been released to date, a great many of them being compilations of previously released material. Only studio albums of original material are listed below:

  • 1974: In Person (Trojan)
  • 1976: All I Have Is Love (Trojan)
  • 1977: Extra Classic (African Museum)
  • 1977: Mr Isaacs (DEB)
  • 1978: Cool Ruler (Front Line)
  • 1978: Slum (Gregory Isaacs in Dub) (Burning Sounds)
  • 1978: The Best of Gregory Isaacs (GG's)
  • 1979: Soon Forward (Front Line)
  • 1979: Gregory Isaacs Meets Ronnie Davis (Plant), with Ronnie Davis
  • 1980: Showcase (Taxi)
  • 1980: Lonely Lover (Pre)
  • 1981: More Gregory (Pre)
  • 1982: Night Nurse (Island/Mango)
  • 1983: The Sensational Gregory Isaacs (Vista)
  • 1983: Out Deh! (Island/Mango)
  • 1984: Let's Go Dancing
  • 1985: Judge Not (Greensleeves), with Dennis Brown
  • 1985: Private Beach Party (Greensleeves & RAS)
  • 1985: Easy (Tad's)
  • 1986: Double Dose (Blue Trac), with Sugar Minott
  • 1987: All I Have is Love Love Love (Tad's)
  • 1987: Victim (VP)
  • 1987: Watchman of the City (Rohit)
  • 1988: Come Along (Live & Love)
  • 1988: Red Rose for Gregory (Greensleeves & RAS)
  • 1989: Warning (Firehouse)
  • 1989: Feature Attraction (VP for Mixing Lab Records)
  • 1989: No Contest (Greensleeves & VP), with Dennis Brown
  • 1989: I.O.U. (Greensleeves & RAS)
  • 1990: Dancing Floor (Heartbeat)
  • 1990: Call Me Collect (RAS)
  • 1991: Set Me Free (VP, Digital B & Vine Yard)
  • 1991: No Intention (VP)
  • 1991: Boom Shot (Shanachie)
  • 1991: State of Shock (RAS)
  • 1991: Past and Future (VP)
  • 1992: Pardon Me! (RAS)
  • 1992: Cooyah! (label unknown)
  • 1992: Can't Stay Away (VP & Xterminator)
  • 1992: Rudie Boo (Star Trail)
  • 1993: Unattended // Absent (Pow Wow & Greensleeves)
  • 1993: Unlocked (RAS)
  • 1994: Midnight Confidential (Greensleeves for Xterminator Records)
  • 1995: Dreaming (Heartbeat)
  • 1995: Not a One Man Thing (RAS)
  • 1996: Private Lesson (Heartbeat)
  • 1996: Come Closer
  • 1996: Mr. Cool (VP)
  • 1996: Maximum Respect (House of Reggae)
  • 1997: Hold Tight (Heartbeat)
  • 1997: Hardcore Hits (Ikus)
  • 1997: Dance Curfew (Acid Jazz), with Dread Flimstone
  • 1998: Kingston 14 Denham Town (Jamaican Vibes)
  • 1998: Do Lord (Xterminator)
  • 1997: Happy As A King (Raven)
  • 1999: New Dance (Prestige)
  • 1999: Turn Down The Lights (Artists Only)
  • 2000: So Much Love (Joe Gibbs Music)
  • 2000: Future Attraction (VP)
  • 2000: Father & Son (2B1 – Gregory Isaacs & Son)
  • 2002: It Go Now (2B1)
  • 2003: Here By Appointment ( Jet Star Music)
  • 2004: Life's Lonely Road
  • 2004: Give It All Up (Heartbeat)
  • 2004: One 2 One Volume 2 (High Power Music, VP Records), with (George Nooks)
  • 2004: Rat Patrol (African Museum)
  • 2004: Masterclass (Greensleeves for Blacker Dread Records)
  • 2005: Gregory Isaacs Sings Dennis Brown( Sanctuary Records Group LTD)
  • 2005: Revenge (P.O.T.)
  • 2005: Substance Free (Vizion Sounds)
  • 2006: Come Take My Hand (Mun Mun)
  • 2007: Gregory Isaacs In Dub
  • 2007: Substance Free
  • 2008: Hold Tight (Mafia & Fluxy)
  • 2008: Brand New Me (African Museum)
  • 2009: My Kind of Lady (Rude Productions)
  • 2010: Isaacs Meets Isaac, with King Isaac (King Isaac Music)

Remix albums

  • 2023: Rebirth of the Cool Ruler (VP)

Notes

References

  • Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004), The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides,
  • Larkin, Colin (1998), The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books,
  • Thompson, Dave (2003), Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books,
  • Partial Discography at Reggaeville