Alexander Minto Hughes (2 May 1945 – 13 March 1998), better known as Judge Dread, was an English reggae and ska musician. He was the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica,
Early life
Hughes was born on 2 May 1945. He was introduced to Jamaican music when he lodged as a teenager in a West Indian household in Brixton, South West London. Hughes, a heavy-set man, met Jamaican artists Derrick Morgan and Prince Buster through his job as a bouncer at London nightclubs such as the Ram Jam in Brixton; and through another job as a bodyguard. After working as a professional wrestler (under the name "The Masked Executioner") and as a debt collector for Trojan Records, he worked as a DJ on local radio.
Music career
When Prince Buster had an underground hit in 1969 with "Big 5", Hughes capitalized on it with the recording of his own "Big Six", based on Verne & Son's "Little Boy Blue", which was picked up by Trojan boss Lee Gopthal, and released on Trojan's 'Big Shot' record label under the stage name Judge Dread, the name taken from another of Prince Buster's songs. There is a road in the town of Snodland named after him, Alex Hughes Close.
Judge Dread was also a songwriter, coming to the attention of Elvis Presley, who had planned to record "A Child's Prayer" as a Christmas gift to his daughter Lisa Marie in 1977, but died before the scheduled recording date. ||
- Jamaica Jerk (Off)
- Bring Back The Skins
- End of the World
- Big Everything
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| 1979 || The Big One (EP) ||
- The Big One
- Big Six
- Big Seven
- Big Eight
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Singles
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! Year
! A-side
! B-side
! UK<br>