Carl Dawkins

The Carl Dawkins Story - Directed By Colby Graham - Vintage Boss

Sir JJ/Carl Johnson was a major producer - his work with The Ethiopians and Carl Dawkins were magnificent. He also did fantastic work with The Rulers.

All of these were big stars. The Ethiopians nearly crossed over into the pop charts in the late sixties. 

However with the brutal death of Sir JJ - apparently strangled in his record shop!   

All three acts struggled. 

The Ethiopians took many years to get back to where they were in the late sixties. Despite Leonard Dillion being one of reggae's greatest singer/songwriters infused with the folk style of man like Joe Higgs and Justin Hinds. Some call it natural reggae. 

The Rulers disappeared off the scene altogether.

Carl picks up the story around the time he started to work Harry J. Aka Harry Johnson, no relation as far as I know.

Harry J knew all about talent. In his camp at the time, were The Heptones, Zap Pow, Joe Higgs, and Lorna Bennett.

His link with Chris Blackwell and Island Records - should have meant that all artists were given the proper marketing.

The reality was different, Harry made a great album with Carl, a truly outstanding debut album - 'Bumpity Road' as good as it was - it was hard to find.

Just like the Heptones, Zap Pow, and Lorna Bennett albums. Whatever happened to Joe Higgs - is anyone's guess.

Colby wonders what happened to Carl's album. The explanation is so typical of Island.

Carl Dawkins had an afro, he wanted to keep it. They told him he needed to dread up. He refused. 

It seems that some people can never accept people for what they are.

Still, Carl trod on. He ended up touring Europe and America - but very few people knew about his debut album. And that makes touring difficult.

Going back into time - Colby asks him about all his hits for Sir JJ. They were all recorded at Mr. Pottinger's Tip Top studio.

It seems he had two four-track machines!

Carl Dawkins - Mr Satisfaction - Upstairs Music

Carl was a major member of the Sir JJ camp, during the reggae era he had hit after hit.    More than enough for an album. Yet it wasn’t until 1973 that Carl got his debut produced and released on Harry J - ‘Bumpity Road’.   

This set though is a collection of singles some of them come from the reggae era, a lot of them don’t What the album succeeds in doing is showing what a remarkable singing song-writing talent Carl is. His voice as got a soulful edge - but for the most part it’s the blues where Carl is coming from.

And the more reality style songs sound great.    Some of them are covers from those reggae era hits. ‘Baby I Love You’ and ‘Hard Time’ being two great examples. When you hear the Sir JJ productions you will hear very unusual basslines - once again almost r&b which could mean that the songs started life in that form, and Sir JJ and his studio band turned them into reggae tunes.

Reggae produced so many outstanding singers and songwriters in such a short space of time, that it only natural that some of them would get lost in the shuffle. Everything at the time looked good for Carl duing the reggae era. His producer Carl Johnson had his own label - sadly just like    Leslie Kong and those closely connected to him. Carl Dawkins suffered when Sir JJ passed.