While never revered as ska, roots-reggae or dancehall, rocksteady is arguably the most loved of the Jamaican music forms.

The genre, which produced a series of top-flight vocalists, harmony groups and musicians, celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026 and Observer Online marks that milestone with the 60 Greatest Rocksteady Personalities.

The list is compiled by Jamaica Observer contract writers Howard Campbell and Claude Mills, with assistance from Michael Barnett, a respected broadcaster and rocksteady authority.

The team looked at impact and the significance of contribution in assembling this august table which will be completed by a Top 20 Most Influential People in Rocksteady.

Here are numbers 45 to 31 on our list, presented in no specific order.

The Blake brothers of the Merritones at Asylum Club circa 1990. From left: Trevor, Winston, Tyrone, and Monte.

45 – Merritone

A label started by the Khouri family, it is usually associated with the Merritone sound system owned by the Blake brothers. Merritone’s biggest hit was Take it Easy by singer Hopeton Lewis, said to be the first rocksteady song. It was recorded at Federal Records, owned by the Khouris. Cool Collie by Lewis and Dance All Night by The Tartans are other noted productions by the Merritone label. Winston Blake, best known of the four brothers, went on to promote talent contests that helped launch the careers of his wife Cynthia Schloss and Beres Hammond. He produced several of Schloss’s hit songs, including Love Forever and Surround Me With Love. He died in 2016.

The Jamaicans

44 – The Jamaicans

The Jamaicans are best known for Ba Ba Boom, which won the 1967 Festival Song Contest. They started in 1964 as The Merricoles, consisting of Derrick Brown and childhood friend Norris Weir. Later joined by Martin Williams, Flats Hylton, and Errol “I Kong” Kong. It became a six piece unit when Tommy Cowan joined and, after a name change to The Jamaicans, they cut two singles for Duke Reid at Treasure Isle — Pocket Full of Money and Diana. Kong and Brown left in 1967.

That year, Ba Ba Boom, written by Cowan and Weir, won the Festival Song Contest. The Jamaicans had another hit with Things You Say You Love. They covered Curtis Mayfield’s Dedicate My Song to You, while their original, Black Girl, was covered by disco group Boney M. The group split in 1972. Cowan went on to become a successful producer/impresario. Weir migrated to the United States shortly after the group disbanded in 1972, and became a “travelling singing missionary evangelist” and an ordained minister in 2010. He died at age 72 on November 16 2018 at his home in Port St Lucie, Florida. Martin Williams died in the United States in May 2022.

Eric Frater

43 – Eric Frater

A prolific session player known as Rickenbacker, Frater made his mark at Studio One playing guitar on hit singles such as Hello Carol by The Gladiators, Ram Jam and Who Done It, the Jackie Mittoo instrumentals. One of the songs on which his deft touches stands out is Sweet Talking by The Heptones. Frater’s riffs helped make that track a classic. He also played on Satta Massagana by The Abyssinians, considered by many to be reggae’s anthem, and later It’s A Shame by Delroy Wilson. Eric Frater died in 2007.

Eric “Monty” Harris

42 – Eric “Monty” Morris

Although he made his name as a ska singer with hit singles such as Sammy Dead Oh and Oil in My Lamp, Morris also had success in the rocksteady era. Most of his songs in that genre were recorded for producer Clancy Eccles, including Say What You’re Saying, which was later covered by Dennis Brown. Morris grew up in Trench Town, Kingston. He competed in talent contests during the early 1960s, including the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour. He recorded his first song with Derrick Morgan, then went on to cut several singles for producers Prince Buster and Duke Reid. In January 2020, Eric “Monty” Morris received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA).

The Ethiopans

41 – The Ethiopians

Music aficionados remember the single Everything Crash by The Ethiopians, which commented on the industrial strikes that gripped Jamaica in 1968. Produced by Carl Johnson, it remains their signature piece. The lyrics go:

Look deh now, everything crash!
Look deh now, everything crash!
What gone bad a-morning,
Can’t come good a-evening, whoi!
What gone bad a-morning,
Can’t come good a-evening, whoi!

The group was founded by Leonard Dillon with Stephen Taylor and Aston “Charlie” Morrison as the ska era ended in 1966. During the 1960s and 1970s, The Ethiopians recorded for producers including Johnson and Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd. The Ethiopians’ other major hit was the self-produced Train to Skaville, released in Jamaica in 1967 by West Indies Records Limited. Two more hit singles, The Whip and Cool It Amigo, were also released in 1967. Everything Crash solidified The Ethiopians’ reputation one year later. Leonard Dillon died on September 28, 2011.

Dobby Dobson

40 – Dobby Dobson

Described by Tommy Cowan as a crooner who did reggae, Dobson sang in several groups prior to going solo. He hit it big in 1967 with Loving Pauper, produced by Duke Reid.

That heartfelt song, about an impoverished suitor begging for a chance despite his financial state, became Dobson’s signature. The following year, he recorded Seems to me I’m Losing for the rival Clement Dodd. A Kingston College past student, Dobson was also a music producer who played a big role in the early years of The Meditations, the roots-reggae group best known for the 1976 hit song, Woman Is Like A Shadow. Dobby Dobson died in 2020 from complications of COVID-19.

Harold “Bobby” Davis

39 – The Sensations

An underated harmony group with a revolving lineup, The Sensations cut a series of hit songs for producer Duke Reid in the late 1960s. Those songs include Born to Love You, Everyday is A Holiday and Those Guys. At different stages, their membership was built around Harold “Bobby” Davis, Jackie Parris, Cornel Campbell, Buster Riley, Jimmy Riley and Rad Bryan. Parris, Jimmy Riley and Campbell went on to solid solo careers. Bryan became an outstanding session guitarist who played on hit songs by Toots And The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and Black Uhuru.

Graeme Goodhall

38 – Graeme Goodall

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Goodall first came to Jamaica in 1955 and worked at Radio Jamaica. He later went to the rival Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation as chief engineer. Goodall got into music as studio engineer for pioneer producer Ken Khouri, helping to direct some of his early recording sessions. Later, he worked in a similar capacity with Chris Blackwell, Leslie Kong (his brother-in-law), Clement Dodd and Duke Reid. Moving to the United Kingdom in 1965, Goodall established his Doctor Bird and Pyramid labels which released songs by a number of Jamaican artistes including The Ethiopians and Desmond Dekker. In 1969, Pyramid released Dekker’s The Israelites (originally produced by Kong as Poor Mi Israelite) in the UK. His remixed version topped that country’s national chart. Graeme Goodall died in Atlanta, Georgia in 2014.

Johnny Nash

37 – Johnny Nash

The Texas-born Nash moved to Jamaica in 1965 and settled in Russell Heights, St Andrew with Danny Sims, his manager. His lawyer was Newton Willoughby, father of broadcaster Neville Willoughby. Nash and Sims befriended several top musicians including The Wailers. They recorded numerous songs in Jamaica during the late 1960s, with the most successful being Hold Me Tight.

That 1967 track featured Trinidadian Lynn Taitt on guitar. It topped the Canadian pop chart and peaked at number five in the United States. Famously, Nash had global success with Guava Jelly and Stir it Up, easy-listening reggae songs written by Bob Marley of The Wailers. In 1973, he had a massive hit with I Can See Clearly Now. Johnny Nash died in 2020.

Bobby Ellis

36 – Bobby Ellis

Born in Kingston, Ellis was a trumpeter and past student of Alpha Boys School in Kingston. He was a contemporary of other Alpha alumni who went on to greatness including saxophonist Headley Bennett and trombonist Don Drummond. Like most Alpha ‘hornsmen’, Ellis had a prolific career as a session musician and arranger. He played on songs like Higgs and Wilson’s There’s A Reward For Me and I Wanna Go Back Home by Bob Andy. In the 1970s, Ellis was in-demand as a session player. As a member of The Black Disciples band, he arranged the horns for Burning Spear’s epic Marcus Garvey album, released in 1975. Bobby Ellis died in 2016.

Cedric Myton

35 – The Tartans

A quartet which recorded mainly for producer Ken Lack, its ranks included three solid singers — Cedric Myton, Lincoln Thompson and Devon Russell. Their biggest hit was Dance All Night, but other songs such as Far Beyond The Sea and What Can I Say were also well-received.

Myton, a cousin of Jamaican Olympian Neville Myton, went on to form The Congos, who recorded the seminal Heart of The Congos album with producer Lee “Scratch” Perry. Thompson formed The Royal Rasses, whose signature song, Humanity (Love The Way it Should Be), was covered by John Legend in 2010 for his tribute album, Wake Up! He died in 1999.

Leslie Butler

34 – Leslie Butler

A listen to Butler’s Ragtime-style intro to Hopeton Lewis’ Sounds And Peessure, shows his depth as a musician. The pianist was one of the regular session players of the rocksteady era, also contributing to hit songs like Over The Rainbow’s End by The Gaylads. Older brother of fellow pianist Harold Butler, Leslie attended Kingston College where he developed his musical skills. In the 1970s, he played on projects like Negril, the outstanding jazz-reggae album by American guitarist Eric Gale. Leslie Butler is still musically-active in South Florida.

Delano Stewart

33 – Delano Stewart

One of the many vocal stylists who came of age during the rocksteady craze. Stewart had success as a solo artiste and with The Gaylads, which he co-founded with Bibi Seaton. As a solo act, Stewart’s biggest hit in rocksteady was That’s Life, a 1967 ditty done for Sonia Pottinger, Jamaica’s first female producer. Three years later, he teamed once more with Pottinger for Stay A Little Bit Longer which was covered by UB40. Delano Stewart lives in New York.

Gladstone Anderson

32 – Gladstone Anderson

A creative pianist, Anderson had the distinction of playing on Take it Easy by Hopeton Lewis, reputedly the first rocksteady song. Anderson had an impressive career, playing on recording sessions for several producers including Duke Reid and Derrick Harriott. He had a golden run with the latter’s Crystal label. Anderson’s signature touch can be heard on Harriott’s biggest hits, including Walk the Streets, Solomon and Born to Love You. He also played on Keith and Tex’s Tonight and Stop That Train, both produced by Harriott. Anderson and singer Stranger Cole had a hit song with Just Like a River, which they co-produced. Gladstone Anderson died in December 2015 at age 81.

The Uniques

31 – The Uniques

An all-star group led by champion singer Slim Smith, who was an original member with Roy Shirley and Franklin White. The group came to prominence with the lineup of Smith, Lloyd Charmers and Jimmy Riley. Their hit songs include Let me Go Girl, Watch This Sound and My Conversation.

Smith, one of Jamaican music’s most influential vocalists, died controversially in 1972. His colleagues in The Uniques, who have also passed on, made their mark as well. The theatric Shirley had an outstanding career as an artiste. Charmers became a successful producer, his biggest hit being Everything I Own by Ken Boothe. Riley scored a handful of hits for Sly and Robbie including Love And Devotion and My Woman’s Love.