voc, *1948 JM, Kingston Parish
Singer of Reggae
A.k.a. Kerrie Byles Jr. King Chubby (3)
Born 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica. In late 1967, Junior formed a vocal group named The Versatiles. They cut their first session for release on Joe Gibbs's Amalgamated label. Three superb titles ("Just Can't Win," "The Time Has Come" and "Trust The Book" were recorded under the supervision of Lee Perry with musical backup from Lynn Taitt & the Jets. Between 1968 and 1974, Perry and Junior collaborated in the production of over forth titles, including all time classics like "Curly Locks," "Rasta No Pickpocket," "Place Called Africa," "Beat Down Babylon," "King Of Babylon," "Cutting Razor" and "Long Way." By the mid-seventies, Junior was a major star in Jamaica poised for international exposure. However he was also acquiring a reputation for madness. By 1976, Junior Byles was confined to the mental ward at Belview Hospital in Kingston. Throughout the later part of the decade, Junior was in and out of the hospital sanitarium and in this period he managed to make many great records for a variety of producers. There was "Chant Down Babylon" and "Pitchy Patchy" for the Ja-Man Records label, a remake of "King Of Babylon" for Niney The Observer and Lloyd F. Campbell, "False Leader" for Micron Music Limited, and the classic "Fade Away" for Channel One (5). Two albums were released, the first from Lee Perry material on Dynamic/Trojan and the second co-produced by Perry and Pete Weston and Micron Music Limited.
The Versatiles |
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Babylon Too Rough / Heart And Soul | Gregory Isaacs / Junior Byles | 2018 | Album |
Fade Away Dub | Congo Natty Featuring Junior Byles | 2015 | Single |
Another Moses | Junior Byles | 2015 | Single |
Fade Away 2006 / We Nah Like Dem | Million Stylez Feat. Junior Byles | 2006 | Single |
Social Classics | King Tubby / Junior Byles | 2001 | Single |
Be Strong / Fade Away | Anthony Cruz / Junior Byles | 2000 | Single |
A Long Way | Junior Byles | 1999 | Compil. |
I And I / Stay Focused | Junior Byles & Glen Ricks / King David | 1999 | Single |
129 Beat Street (Ja-Man Special 1975-1978) | Junior Byles | 1998 | Compil. |
Fever / This World | Junior Byles / King Medious | 1998 | Single |
Curly Locks (Best Of Junior Byles & The Upsetters 1970 - 1976) | Junior Byles | 1997 | Compil. |
Beware Of A Smiling Face / Fade Away | Horace Andy b/w Junior Byles | 1996 | Album |
Fade Away | Junior Byles | 1992 | Single |
Let Us Reason Now | Junior Byles | 1989 | Single |
Hustling | Junior Byles | 1988 | Single |
When Will Better Come? 1972 - 1976 | Junior Byles | 1988 | Compil. |
Beat Down Babylon "The Upsetter Years" | Junior Byles | 1987 | Compil. |
Rasta No Pickpocket | Junior Byles | 1986 | Album |
Better Be Careful | Junior Byles Backed By The Roots Radics | 1982 | Single |
Don't Be Surprise | Junior Byles | 1982 | Single |
The Woman I Love | Junior Byles & The Garwood Brothers | 1981 | Single |
Dread Locks Time / Peel Head | Junior Byles / Joe Gibbs & The Professionals | 1979 | Single |
Dreadlocks Time | Junior Byles / Nigger Kojak & Liza | 1979 | Album |
Run Run | Junior Byles | 1977 | Single |
King Of Babylon / Nebuchadnezzer | Junior Byles / Ranking Buckers | 1977 | Single |
Heart And Soul / Give It To Jah | Junior Byles / The Mighty Two | 1977 | Single |
Tribulation / Can You Feel It | Dennis Brown Meets Jah Bop / Junior Byles | 1977 | Album |
Master Mix 4 | Junior Byles & Ranking Buckers | 1977 | Album |
Jordan | Junior Byles | 1976 | Album |
Oh Carolina / Telephone Bill Too Big | Junior Byles / The Soul Syndicate | 1975 | Single |
Lorna Banana | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Girl Next Door | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Aint Too Proud To Beg | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
I Know | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Remember Me | Junior Byles & Rupert Reid | 1975 | Single |
Curly Locks / I Ain't Got It | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Bur-O-Boy | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Chant Down Babylon | Junior Byles & Rupert Reid / Ja-Man Allstars | 1975 | Single |
Long Way | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
False Leader | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Fade Away | Junior Byles | 1975 | Single |
Curley Lock | Junior Byles | 1974 | Single |
Mumbling And Grumbling / King Size Mumble | Junior Byles / The Upsetters | 1974 | Single |
Gwane Joshua Gwane | Junior Byles / Joshua's All Stars | 1974 | Single |
Break Up To Make Up | Junior Byles And Leroy Sibbles | 1974 | Single |
Curley Locks / Now Generation | Junior Byles | 1974 | Single |
When Will Better Come | Junior Byles | 1973 | Single |
Big Eight / Auntie Lu Lu | Lloyd Tyrell / Junior Byles | 1973 | Single |
Rasta No Pick Pocket | Junior Byles | 1973 | Single |
Break Up To Make Up / Plat Skank | Junior Byles / Youth Man | 1973 | Single |
Auntie Lu-Lu / Auntie Lu Skank | Junior Byles / The Upsetters | 1973 | Single |
Beat Down Babylon | Junior Byles | 1972 | Album |
Fever / Soul Sister | Junior Byles / The Groovers | 1972 | Single |
Black Crisis | Junior Byles | 1972 | Single |
King Of Babylon | Junior Byles | 1972 | Single |
Pharoah Hiding / Hail To Power | Junior Byles / The Upsetters | 1972 | Single |
Beat Down Babylon | Junior Byles | 1972 | Single |
Da-Da / Festival Da-Da | Junior Byles / The Upsetters | 1972 | Single |
Alpha And Omega / Beat Down Babylon | Dennis Alcapone / Junior Byles | 1971 | Single |
Earthquake / Place Called Africa | The Upsetters / Junior Byles | 1971 | Single |
Down Presser / Got The Tip | The Wailers / Junior Byles | 1971 | Single |
Got The Tip / Someday We'll Be Together | Junior Byles and The Wailers / The Soulettes | 1971 | Single |
Place Call Africa | Junior Byles | 1970 | Single |
Peace Of Mind | Junior Byles | Single | |
One Love / It's Boaring | Junior Byles | Single | |
W-E-E-P-I-N-G | Junior Byles | Single | |
Our Mistakes | Junior Byles | Single | |
A Place Called Africa / Earthquake | Junior Byles, The Upsetters | Single | |
Thanks We Get | Junior Byles | Single | |
Rasta No Pick Pocket / Place Call Africa | Junior Byles | Single | |
Dreader Locks / Militant Rock | Junior Byles / The Upsetters | Single | |
Demonstration / King Of Babylon | Junior Byles | Single | |
Education Rock / Nobody Knows | Junior Byles | Single | |
Sugar-Sugar | Big Youth & Junior Byles | Single | |
Babylon Chapter 9 Informer Men | Junior Byles & Jah T | Single | |
Know Where You Going | Junior Byles | Single | |
Fade Away | Congo Natty Featuring Junior Byles | Album | |
Beat Down Babylon / Da Da | Junior Byles | Single | |
Break Up To Make Up | Junior Byles / Tommy McCook Allstars | Single | |
Informer Men | Junior Byles | Single | |
Can You Feel It / I A Feel It | Junior Byles / The Reggae Crusaders | Single | |
Pitchy Patchy | Junior Byles | Single |