Photo: Colin Moore

Trying to track down all the artists who came to

London in early summer of 1985 to perform at the

G.L.C. Reggae Jamboree has proved to be an

impossible mission. Earl 16 has been very

elusive, and we managed to locate Leroy Smart

only days before his return flight to Jamaica.

Many thanks must go to the man called Jah Screw

for helping us to contact the unique Mr.Smart.

After a struggle with the blocks intercom

system, we finally met Leroy in his temporary

residence in downtown Hornsey one wet Saturday

evening. Due to a technical hitch our early

conversation never found it's way on to tape.

Luckily, Leroy was not put off by this mistake

and kindly agreed to run thorugh his recorded

history a second time.

Leroy Smart: Pic Beth Lesser

His career began as long ago as 70/71 with

two tunes for Joe Gibba ~'wreck Up My Life‘ and

‘From Ethiopia’ — and an early cut of ‘Pride And

Ambition‘ for Tuff Gong. Leroy picks up the

story: "I started out from schooldays really,

from I969. I then cut ‘Pride And Ambition‘ for

Gussie. Well, after that, I didn't gain that big

recogintion in those times because I was young

and things like that. After that, I get a hit

from a man called Jimmy Radway - the label is

called Fe Mi Time ~ and the song was called

‘Mother Liza‘ and it was ‘Mother Liza‘ which

break me in those times until this very time.

Then I did another tune for Jimmy Radway called

‘Mirror Mirror On The wall’ and ‘Mr Smart’ and

then ‘Blackman‘ for Channel One. After that now

I did a song called ‘God Helps The Han‘ for

Bunny Lee and then another ‘Trying To wreck Up

Life‘ and a recut of ‘Pride And Ambition‘ again.

Then came the album ‘Leroy Smart Superstar‘ for

Bunny Lee with a lot of great songs. Then,

moving on, moving on, comes ‘Ballistic Affair‘

'Badness Don't Pay‘ ‘without Love‘, ‘waiting In

Vain’ ‘Sharon’ and a couple more songs produced

for the Channel One label. Right there Leroy

Smart was one of the biggest things in those

times—until this very day."

Leroy forgot to mention the occasional

releases that come out from producers like Lloyd

Campbell, Yabby U, Tommy Cowan and Big Youth,

but needless to say, they all all contributed to

his growing reputation. After 1977, this swelk

ing wave of success subsided. Leroy explains:—

"After a while, I cooled out for about two

years in America. I go to California for some

music lessons and some voice training. I came

back in about 1980. I came back with this smash

hit called ‘She Love It In The Morning‘, and

then ‘More Than A Million‘, ‘Nice Up The Scene‘.

After that, I start to come all the way down.

At this stage, Leroy's story is a sharp remin~

der of the flood of hit tunes he has had in

recent years. "Coming down now, here come the

hit called ‘Draw Card‘, then ‘Live Good On Your

Corner’, then ‘Girl You A Freind'. Then 'Maxine'

I did for myself and George Phang. I did a song

on the Dynamite label for a gentleman by the

name of Clive, called ‘Private Message‘. Then I

was voted the number one male vocalist of last

year, 1984, for having six songs on the chart "

This catalogue of hits had almost brought us

right up to date. Leroy continued with his plans

for the future and news of his most recent

recordings. "So right now, I'm supposed to be

doing a show in Jamaica called ‘Dance Hall'85‘,

taking place on June 29th. I will also be doing

a couple of shows in New York City because

people have been saying I'm wanted very hot in

New York by the public for all of my hit songs.

I went to Canada about a year and a half ago,

and haven't been back yet. All of those places,

I'm really in demand. I'm on tour in England for

three months now."

Back to the records:- "I did ‘Turn Off The

Lights’ for Jah Screw, and it's doing pretty

well all over the place. Another tune for Jah

Screw is called ‘we Are The Conqueror‘ and that

is going to be out very soon as the follow up.

I did a recut of '1 Am The Don’ for Jah Life, as

well as a song called ‘I've Got To Tune In‘ and

‘Love Is So Real‘. I did an album for Bunny Lee

called ‘Live Up Roots Children‘ that has just

come out. Bunny Lee has another song out from me

called ‘Girl You Got Me Going‘.

He then recalled a couple of releases from

from Prince Jammy, remembering that he has a

jointly produced album with Jammys awaiting

completion. Recent releases have included ‘Make

This Love Be True‘ for willie Lindo, and 'Don‘t

Leave Me An Inch’ for Clive Jarrett.

Leroy continues — "1 am intending to keep up

my musical career for years and years and years,

and I will be giving the people good music,

great music. I will never leave out my dance-

hall style. I always visit the dance—hall, see

what's happening, see what the people like, to

know what's going on and to know what to give

the people. I also do classic type of reggae too

I do any type of reggae as long as it's what the

producer wants.

My label is called worldwide Success, that

produce my biggest hit from last year Draw Card

My label is a very popular label today and it

will be keeping up that standard. Right now, l'm

trying to do some investment in opening a studio

in the near future. I'am a man that is always t

trying to be very curious about my spending

because no—one knows what the future may bring.

Today you hold money and tomorrow things may not

be nice. So I have to be very smart in this time

well, my name is Mr Smart and everybody class me

today as ‘The Don‘!

l did a song for Junjo Lawes called ‘l Am The

Don’, quite a successful tune, and another one

released abroad called ‘Mother Lashie', as well

as ‘Talk About Pauline‘ & ‘The Girls Nowadays‘

and ‘Settle For Me‘. '

we them wen! into some mutual head—scratching

trying to remember the albums issued in Leroy's

career. He feels that his LP count stands at

least at l7, although at the time we could only

identify 13.

ln a final burst of conversation he listed

his favourite artists. "Ken Boothe, Delroy

Wilson, Alton Ellis, John Holt, and reminded us

that along with many of Jamaica's musical greats

he was a product of Alpha Boys School.

"That was where l really gained my skill, and

my reputation, and a lot of good things that l

can really remember. well, l‘m saying"to myself

right now, l‘m thanking each and everyone - all

of my fans all over the world. So one love and

Jah Guide to each and everyone all over the

world. l will keep up the good work till the end

of time. So Jah Guide "

Colin Moore and Ray Hurford.