Desmond Dekker

Born Desmond Dacres in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 16, 1941, the star-to-be was orphaned in his teens. Left to earn a living on his own, he apprenticed as a welder. Where it was his workmates that first noted his vocal talents, as the youngster sang around the workshop. With their encouragement, in 1961, the Dacres decided to have a go at recording and auditioned for both Coxsone Dodd at Studio One and Duke Reid at Treasure Isle. Neither man found anything remarkable about this young hopeful and sent him on his way. Not discouraged, Dacres next tried his luck with Leslie Kong, owner of the Beverley's label. He auditioned before the stable's biggest hitmaker, Derrick Morgan, who immediately spotted the young man's potential. However, it was to be two long years before Kong finally took him into the studio, waiting patiently for him to compose a song worthy of recording. Since then Desmond "Dekker" Dacres has gone on to surpase many and most reggae artists touching to all types of people with his music, be it a Skinhead, Rude boy, Herbert, your everyday average person and yes even some punks, many see Desmond Dekker as a musical Icon.