Jamaica's most renowned label, Studio One, was founded by Clement "Coxsonne" Dodd in 1954. Studio One controlled ska and rocksteady music for twenty years and was instrumental in the invention of reggae. Studio One's male acts are well known: The Wailers, The Maytals, Lee Perry, Horace Andy, Ken Boothe, and many more. But the studio also recorded plenty of female voices. Unlike the men, these women never went on to much fame. They recorded some singles and faded into obscurity. For whatever reason reggae developed into a male dominated style. Here are a few of the early Studio One women:A Change Is Gonna Come (Jennifer Lara) |
No, No, No (Dawn Penn) |
Don't Let Me Down (Marcia Griffiths) |