Keith and Tex still flying flag for rocksteady
With 2026 marking the 60th year since the birth of rocksteady, not many of that genre’s stars are still around. Keith and Tex, who had several hit songs during the late 1960s, are still carrying the banner by touring and recording new music.
The duo, who mainly recorded for producer Derrick Harriott, are best known for classic singles such as Tonight, Don’t Look Back and Stop That Train. This year, they released Gun Life, an album produced by Roberto Sanchez of Spain.
Keith (Keith Rowe) is based in Tampa, Florida where he hosts a radio show which airs songs from the rocksteady period which lasted from 1966 to 1968. He told Observer Online that the sound is timeless.
“The rocksteady era produced so many memorable songs. These songs and ‘riddims’ have been ‘relicked’ so many times over the years and are testament of their impact on our music,” he said. “As the essential blueprint for reggae’s sound and production, rocksteady remains a foundational pillar of Jamaican musical identity.”
Many musicologists point to Take it Easy by Hopeton Lewis as the first rocksteady song. It was recorded in late 1966 at Federal Records in Kingston, with Lynn Taitt and The Jets backing him.
Considered a slower version of ska, which preceded it, rocksteady produced a flood of singers, harmony groups and songwriters rated among the best in Jamaican music. They include Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Ken Boothe, Desmond Dekker, Slim Smith, John Holt, Marcia Griffiths, Bob Andy, The Wailers, The Heptones, The Paragons and The Techniques.
Rocksteady enjoyed a strong revival in the 1990s through shows like Heineken Startime which helped revive the careers of many artistes.
The songs Keith and Tex did for Harriott have kept them busy since they reformed almost 30 years ago. This year marked their 12th straight touring Europe where there is a massive following for vintage Jamaican music.
Keith names Willow Tree by Alton Ellis, Queen Majesty (The Techniques), I’m Still Waiting (Delroy Wilson), Too Experienced (Bob Andy), and Sounds And Pressure by Hopeton Lewis as his favourite rocksteady songs.
– Howard Campbell
