Freddie McGregor

Freddie McGregor
Freddie McGregor
Background information
Also known as	Little Freddie
Born	27 June 1956 (age 56); Clarendon, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae, lovers rock, ska, rocksteady, roots reggae
Occupations	Singer, record producer
Years active	1963–present
Labels	VP, Greensleeves, Studio One, Polydor, RAS, various
Website	freddiemcgregor.com

Freddie McGregor (born 27 June 1956, Clarendon, Jamaica)^[1] has been variously a singer, musician and producer. According to Allmusic he is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with a steady career that started in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old.^[1]

Biography [edit]

In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to form The Clarendonians, and began to record for the Studio One label. He was only seven years old at the time and was known as 'Little Freddie'.^[2] McGregor worked with producer Niney the Observer during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1975, McGregor converted to Rastafari, which had a profound impact on his music.^[1] He is a member of the Twelve Tribes organization.

His popularity soared in the early 1980s with the release of "Bobby Bobylon". Other popular hits of McGregor's include "Big Ship", "Push Comes to Shove", "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" and "I Was Born a Winner"; as well as cover versions of many early reggae standards. He has also worked with producers Junjo Lawes, Linval Thompson, and Gussie Clarke. McGregor has also toured extensively for many years. He secured a licensing agreement with RAS Records in U.S. and released Come On Over in 1983 and in 1989, he inaugurated his own Big Ship label

After slowing his pace in the late 1990s, McGregor returned in 2000 with the acclaimed Signature, which restored his typical balance of roots reggae and lovers rock with touches of dancehall. He followed it two years later with a similarly well-received album, the Grammy nominated, Anything for You.^[1]

He established the Big Ship Recording Studio, and has produced many artists including Luciano and Mikey Spice.

One of McGregor's three sons, Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor, is a dancehall record producer.

McGregor has spanned nearly every stylistic shift in Jamaican music, from ska and rocksteady to Rastafarian roots reggae to lovers rock to dabblings in dancehall, ragga, and dub.^[1]

In a 2011 interview, he expressed concern many veteran artists, including himself, struggled for local radio play of their newer material, which he felt may be "lost" over time as a result.^[3]

His latest album, Di Captain, featuring guest appearances from Etana and Gappy Ranks, was just released on January 29th, 2013 .^[2]

Discography [edit]

Albums [edit]

Bobby Bobylon (1979) Studio One
Mr. McGregor aka Freddie McGregor (1979) Observer/Jackal/56 Hope Rd/Mercury
Lovers Rock (Showcase Jamaica Style) (1981) Live & Love
I Am Ready (1982) Coxsone/Studio One
Love At First Sight (1982) Intense
Come On Over (1983) RAS
Rhythm So Nice (1983) Thompson Sounds
Across The Border (1984) RAS
All In The Same Boat (1986) RAS
Freddie McGregor (1987) Polydor
Don't Want To Be Lonely Studio One
Live at the Town & Country Club (1991) VP
FM (1992) High Times
Live in London 1991 (1993) Charly
Roots Man Skanking Clocktower
Sing Jamaican Classics Vol.1
Masterpiece (1997) VP
Jamaican Classics Vol.2 (1998) Big Ship
Magic In The Air (1999) Big Ship
Zion Chant (1999) Heartbeat
Signature (2000) VP
Rumours (2000) Greensleeves
Carry Go Bring Come (2000) Greensleeves
Hard to Get (2000) Greensleeves
Forever My Love (2000) RAS
Push On (2002) Big Ship
Lovers Rock (2003) Prestige
Anything For You (2002) VP
Reggae Max (2003) Jet Star
Heart Is Willing (2003) Charm
Rhythms of My Heart (2004) Nuff
Comin' in Tough (2005) VP
Mister Eudaric Riddim (2009)
Mr.McGregor (2009) VP
Giants (2009) Joe Gibbs Publishing
Di Captain (2012), VP

UK hit singles [edit]

The following were hits on the UK Singles Chart:

"Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" (1987) - #9
"That Girl (Groovy Situation)" (1987) - #47

^[4]

DVDs and videos [edit]