ERNEST Ranglin, the master guitarist whose career spans seven decades, turns 90 today.

The jazz-influenced musician is one of few remaining from the early days of Jamaica’s music industry. Ranglin was among the first employees of Island Records when that company started in 1959; he arranged My Boy Lollipop, Millie Small’s global ska hit for that label in 1964, and played the stellar guitar solo on The Wailers ballad, It Hurts to be Alone.

In May, Tad’s International Record released Two Colors, a collaborative album by Ranglin and saxophonist Dean Fraser.

Stephen “Cat” Coore, guitarist for the Third World band, said Ranglin “is clearly the most prestigious and finest guitar player the Caribbean has ever produced”.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer in May, Coore spoke of Ranglin’s limitless range as a guitarist and arranger.

“His dexterity, his knowledge of chords, his general approach to guitar-playing is just very special. His version of Carry mi Ackee is one of the greatest renditions of anything I have ever heard,” he said.

Ranglin was born in Manchester but cut his teeth as a musician in the Eric Deans Band in Kingston during the late 1940s. Strongly influenced by Belgian jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, he was an established session player and arranger when he joined Island Records.

In addition to his session work Ranglin toured with Jimmy Cliff as musical director during the 1970s. In the 1990s he collaborated with the revived Skatalites band, Senegalese singer/guitarist Baaba Maal, and pianist Monty Alexander.

Coore recalled how he once approached Ranglin for help to improve his playing, but was graciously turned down.

“He said he didn’t want to change my style of playing and that I should go on do what I’m doing — which to me was a big compliment.”

Ernest Ranglin was awarded the Order of Jamaica in 2021 for his contribution to the growth and development of Jamaican music.