Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 – 25 May 2006) was one of the first Jamaican vocalists to make a significant impact outside the land of his birth. A pioneering singer and a consistent hit-maker throughout the ska, rock steady and reggae phases of Jamaican music's development during the 1960s and 70s, Dekker also played a role in launching the career of Bob Marley.
Born Desmond Dacres in Kingston and raised as an orphan, Dekker spent much of his youth on a farm in the quiet country town of Seaforth in the parish of St Thomas, where he began singing in the local church. Blessed with a wide vocal range, he was particularly adept at hitting the high notes. This early religious upbringing, as well as Dekker's enjoyment of singing hymns, led to a lifelong religious commitment. Following his mother's death, he moved to the parish of St. Mary and later to St. Thomas. While at St. Thomas, Dekker embarked on an apprenticeship as a tailor before returning to Kingston, where he became a welder, but was chiefly preoccupied with breaking into the music business.
In 1961, after approaches to Duke Reid and Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd led nowhere, Dekker passed an audition conducted by popular singer Derrick Morgan at Beverley's, a record label and business concern headed by Chinese-Jamaican entrepreneur Leslie Kong. Although Morgan knew Dekker had hit potential, noting in particular how he harnessed the energy of gospel in his delivery and the way he related folk phrases and proverbs in his lyrics, Kong felt the young singer needed further training and therefore delayed bringing him into the studio.
Meanwhile, Dekker spotted the talent of Marley, a fellow welder, and brought the youth to Kong's attention. In 1962 Judge Not and One Cup Of Coffee became the first recorded efforts of Marley, who retained gratitude, respect and admiration for Dekker for the rest of his life. In 1963, Dekker finally made it to the studio to record the hit Honour thy Father and Mother, which related in biblical terms the veneration due to parents. It was followed by Sinners Come Home, Labour for Learning, and, most importantly, the enormously popular King of Ska, an island-wide success and the first release credited to Dekker under his stage name.
Dekker then brought together four blood brothers named Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry Howard to be his backing singers. Originally called the Four Aces, the group cut popular songs including the bouncing Get Up Adina and spiritual Mount Zion. Later recordings feature just two backing Aces, Barry Howard and Wilson James. In 1967, after contributing a guest vocal on Morgan's landmark Tougher Than Tough, Dekker changed focus with 007 (Shantytown), which, like Morgan's hit, saluted the growing "rude boy" ethos. Rude Boy Train and Rudie got Soul continued the theme, while Pretty Pretty Africa branched in a new direction, showing an awareness of the singer's African heritage.
The following year, Dekker won the prestigious Jamaican festival song competition with a vibrant dance number called Intensified. Then, as the new reggae beat took hold, he achieved his international breakthrough with a disc, entitled in Jamaica, Poor Me Israelites, a song that described the hardships of poverty. In 1969, as The Israelites, it became such a sensation in Britain (despite confusion over its lyrics due to Dekker's use of patois) that the singer toured the UK as a solo act and appeared on Top of the Pops - unprecedented events for a Jamaican reggae vocalist. The song was also highly popular in the US, one of only a handful of Jamaican discs to achieve this during the 1960s.
Israelites was swiftly followed by It Miek, another chart-topper. At this point Dekker began spending longer periods in the UK, and his sympathetic cover version of Jimmy Cliff's You Can Get It if You Really Want was another success. 1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK. Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica, although only "Pickney Gal" managed to chart in the UK top 50. Then, in 1971, disaster struck when Kong died of a heart attack. Without Kong's guidance, Dekker moved to the UK but hits were not forthcoming. He bounced back in 1975 with another chart success, the sentimental Sing a Little Song.
In the late 1970s, Dekker signed to punk label Stiff to release the Black and Dekker album, on which he was backed by pub-rockers the Rumour, followed by a set called Compass Point, but neither achieved much in the way of sales. Dekker was declared bankrupt in 1984. In 1990 "Israelites" was used in a Maxell TV advert that became popular and brought the song and artist back to the attention of the general public. He collaborated with the Specials on the 1993 album, King of Kings, which was released under Desmond Dekker and the Specials. In 2003 Desmond headlined Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny.
Although his recorded output slowed thereafter, he continued to tour. Throughout it all, Dekker, who had made his home in England, remained a humble man and committed performer whose powerful live appearances remained greatly admired by audiences all over the world. Dekker's vast catalog of music which contain songs that defined the ska, rocksteady, and reggae eras, have provided the singer with a rich legacy that has rarely been equaled.
Dekker died of a heart attack on 25 May 2006, at his home in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England, aged 64 and was buried at Streatham Park Cemetery. He was preparing to headline The World Music Festival in Prague.
(Edited from Guardian obit by Davis Katz ,Wikipedia & AllMusic)