The Ethiopians were one of Jamaica's best-loved harmony groups during the late ska, rocksteady and early reggae periods. Responsible for a significant number of hits between the mid-1960s and early 1970s, the group was also one of the first Jamaican acts to perform widely in Britain.

Origins

The Ethiopians was founded by Leonard Dillon (9 December 1942 – 28 September 2011) Dillon was a stonemason from the small community of Boundbrook, located on the outskirts of the northeast coastal town of Port Antonio, where he was raised by his grandparents in a strict Seventh Day Adventist household. With his grandfather the choirmaster in the local church, Dillon had good grounding in music from an early age. While still attending high school, he performed with a local act known as the Playboys (later re-named Ray and the Gladiators), the mellifluousness of his voice bringing the nickname "Sparrow".

Like many of his peers, Dillon moved to Kingston towards the end of his teen years in search of work, staying first in a tiny shack in the west Kingston slum of Back-O-Wall. He travelled to Fellsmere, Florida in 1963 on a seasonal farm work contract, and after returning to Kingston in 1964, he settled in Trench Town, lodging at the home of the aunt of popular sound system deejay King Sporty, who he knew from his days in Port Antonio. In Trench Town, Dillon met Peter Tosh, who introduced him to Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston, his fellow vocalists in the Wailers. An audition was swiftly arranged at Studio One, where the Wailers were recording some of the biggest hits of the day, which led to Dillon voicing his first material. Three songs were backed by the Wailers, including a sound system favourite called "Ice Water", based on lyrics of double entendre, The song was recorded with the backing band the Caribbeats after Johnson suggested the title to Dillon during a meeting at his Orange Street shop. Other hits followed, including "Feel the Spirit", "Hong Kong Flu", and "Woman Capture Man". The Sir JJ phase yielded the popular albums Reggae Power and Woman Capture Man, both issued by Trojan Records in Britain. In 1975, Stephen Taylor was killed in a traffic accident, leading to a period of inactivity as Dillon struggled to adapt to life without his singing partner.

  • Engine '54: Let's Ska and Rock Steady - (1968) - Jamaican Gold
  • Reggae Power - (1969)
  • Woman a Capture Man - (1970) - Trojan
  • Slave Call - (1977) - Heartbeat
  • Open The Gate Of Zion - (1978) - Channel One
  • Dread Prophecy - (1989) - Nighthawk
  • Let's Ska and Rock Steady - (1990) - VP Records
  • The World Goes Ska - (1992) - Trojan
  • Clap Your Hands - (1993) - Lagoon
  • Sir J.J. & Friends - (1993) - Lagoon
  • Owner Fer De Yard - (1994) - Heartbeat
  • Train to Skaville - (1999) - Charly
  • Tuffer Than Stone - (1999) - Warriors
  • Skaville Princess - (2000) - Dressed to Kill
  • Train to Skaville: Anthology 1966-1975 - (2002) - Trojan - compilation
  • Open The Gate Of Zion - (2020) - Jamaican Art Records (de-luxe re-release)

Charted singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+List of charted singles, showing year released, chart positions and album name

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year

! scope="col" | Peak chart position

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

|-

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| <br>

|-

! scope="row" | "Train to Skaville"

| 1967

| 6

| Engine '54: Let's Ska and Rock Steady

|}

References

  • 45cat Discography