The Jamaica Observer’s Entertainment Desk continues with the second in its series during Child Month highlighting some of Jamaica’s young performers who shot to stardom.

IN the 1970s, Jamaicans were looking for their Michael Jackson — a young performer with incredible talent, and a shy, yet inviting personality like the American mega star.

Junior Tucker came closest to that.

Ironically, Tucker’s breakout hit was Happy, a track recorded by Jackson in 1973. The song, co-written by Michel Legrand and Smokey Robinson, was first recorded by Bobby Darin in November of 1972.

Tucker was only seven years old when he released that cover and it immediately shot to number one on local charts. He performed the song at the One Love Peace Concert held at the National Stadium in April 1978. The show was held to help quell violence between factions of the ruling People’s National Party and the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party.

There was also Take a Little Time to Know Me, produced by Earl “Chinna” Smith in 1976.

In the early 1980s, he maintained his momentum with tracks such as Spinning Around, written by Harold Butler and co-produced by Butler and Tommy Cowan. Other big hits for Tucker were covers of Eddie Kendricks’ One of The Poorest People and Some Guys Have All The Luck by soul group, The Persuaders.

During a stint with singer/songwriter/producer Ray Parker Jr, Tucker recorded Mr Telephone Man which was later a hit for New Edition. He studied audio engineering in New York City, and began to write his own songs.

Don’t Test, one of his first compositions, was a hit, earning him a recording contract with Virgin Records in 1989. Don’t Test peaked at number 54 on the UK Singles Chart in June 1990.

Tucker was released from his Virgin contract in 1991. He returned to Jamaica, and cut a number of hits including a cover of Benny Mardones’ Into The Night, and the rocking A Love of A Lifetime.

In 1997 after the death of his father and birth of his daughter, Tucker went in search of what he called “the meaning of life”. He walked away from secular music, and became a Christian.

He has since recorded several Christian reggae albums including Brand New, Ready For The Rapture, Sold Out – Worship From The Islands plus Victory – Worship From The Islands II.

Junior Tucker is an ordained minister who in November 2015 launched True Word And Worship Church in Kingston.

“If years ago you told me that I was going to be a pastor, I’d laugh… but the Bible says that every step of a righteous man is ordered,” he said in a 2020 Jamaica Observer interview.