Roots Archives Forum

Sorry to bring this thread back from the depths!

I've been listening to Studio One Roots vol 3, and the track that slays me is 'I'm A Free Man' by Freddie McKay. His voice is so expressive! I'd never heard of him before hearing this.

I've done a bit of digging, both on here and around the internet, and there doesn't seem to be much available by him. Someone on this thread mentions that a lot of his best stuff was on singles. Bearing in mind the recommendations already made by others here, what songs are worth getting hold of?

And if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the Soul Defenders and Freddie Mckay at Studio One CD at a decent price please let me know! 60 dollars is just a bit too much...

.. and which Freddie McKay tune is on the same riddim as the obscure Billy Joe Morgan-Stop Them 12inch? Killer riddim, might be Jah Love I, not sure..

Pots n Pans i haven't heard any of his singles, but his LPs are incredible and a perfect place to start. Fire is Burning, Harsh Words, and Lonely Man are my favorites.

Capt, the tune you ask for is the classic "La la Bye Woman" not so obvious when you hear "Stop them", but its truly it.

Not obvious indeed, was thinking bout his roots&culture tunes of course..
On his Creation LP, isnt it?
Thanks Litelet!

and i realize this is an old thread originally but i saw on the first page someone said that there is a Blood & Fire comp of Freddy's work, which is incorrect. there is no major label issue of Freddy's work, and it's a crying shame. there's enough for at least a disc or two of nothing but top shelf material. his handful of late 60s tunes aren't shabby either!

Capt, there are two versions at least: a 7" and the Creation LP. Both great. I love the Creation LP.

I was lucky enough to pick up some Freddie Mckay 12"'s back in the day when I visited Chin Randy's backroom in Brooklyn in the mid eighties; "Jah Love I/Caught You Red Handed" on Lucky Star, "Fire Is Burning/Lonely Man" on Roots Disco, and "Nuh Make It Look So/Close Encounters" on Roots Disco with 3 awesome dub versions! He was as soulful as they get and stands with Leroy Sibbles and Rod Taylor as one of the most soulful of all Jamaican singers. I am now in the process of selling off my collection on eBay, but have been digitizing everything so that only the wax is gone. You are right to seek his records out, but they are far and few between!

mashdown45 wrote:Orvil Samuels is/was a member of Rags & Riches

no he is not. he is a actor/comedian made famous by his 'oliver at large' tv series in the 80s:

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/ ... /out1.html

Litelet wrote:Capt, the tune you ask for is the classic "La la Bye Woman" not so obvious when you hear "Stop them", but its truly it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/383 ... 510c_m.jpg