Ken Boothe

Infobox musical artist

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Name = Ken Boothe
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Ken Boothe
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1948|03|22
Origin = Kingston, Jamaica
Instrument =
Genre = Rocksteady
Reggae
Occupation =
Years_active = 1965 - present
Label = Trojan Records
Associated_acts =
URL =
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Ken Boothe (born 22 March 1948 - there is a controversy surrounding his birth date; most sources say he was born in 1948 - Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican recording artist.

Career

His recording career began in 1963 when the legendary, West Indian record producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd recorded him singing a song called "Prevention" with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. His first solo efforts weren't to be recorded until three years later when Dodd signed him to Studio One. He had almost immediate success with songs like "The Train Is Coming" and "Lonely Teardrops" and by the following year, Boothe and Alton Ellis had a successful UK tour with the Studio One session group, The Soul Vendors.

After leaving Coxsone, Boothe recorded for Keith Hudson and Leslie Kong. He then formed the group 'Conscious Minds' with B.B. Seaton. By the early 1970s Ken Boothe started providing hits for Sonia Pottinger. Boothe was known as "Mr. Rock Steady" for his prominence during that musical period.

Then suddenly, under new direction from record producer Lloyd Charmers, "Everything I Own" was Number One in the UK in 1974. The song, written by David Gates, was given a sympathetic light reggae feel, and it found instant favour both in the West Indies, but more surprisingly in the UK. David Gates' own group, Bread, had had a minor UK hit with the song in the Spring of 1972, but it had only reached Number 32.cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 77
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

The oddest thing about Boothe's cover version, is that he sings 'Anything I Own', rather than 'Everything I Own' throughout, thus making this record one of the few in which the title is never sung. There have been other examples of this at Number One in the UK Singles Chart, like "Bohemian Rhapsody"; "Unchained Melody"; "Annie's Song"; "The Chicken Song"; and "Space Oddity"; but Boothe's record is the only one on which the title should have been sung, but was not by mistake.cite book
first= Jo
last= Rice
year= 1982
title=The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits
edition=
publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd
location= Enfield, Middlesex
pages= p. 163
id= ISBN 0-85112-250-7]

Boothe seemed, at the time, to have the makings of an international, long-lasting, hit maker, certainly when compared to most of the other latter-day reggae acts. His smoother style gave him a wider appeal, rather like UB40, and Aswad. Boothe's choice of songs also showed the breadth of his musical taste. But for all that, he only managed one more hit in the UK Chart, "Crying Over You", which made Number 11.cite book
first= Jo
last= Rice
year= 1982
title=The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits
edition=
publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd
location= Enfield, Middlesex
pages= p. 163
id= ISBN 0-85112-250-7]

In 1978, along with Dillinger, Boothe was referenced by lyricist Joe Strummer in The Clash's track, "(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais". [ [http://www.lyricsdepot.com/the-clash/white-man-in-hammersmith-palais.html Lyricsdepot.com - "(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" lyrics] ]

Whilst the cross-cultural appeal for Boothe waned, the "Everything I Own" song was far from being knocked out. In 1987, Boy George released his version of the tune, and duly got to Number One himself.cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 74
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5] His rendition owed far more in styling to Mr Boothe, than the composer Mr Gates. Thus the song has the very rare distinction of twice being a UK chart topper, by two different artistes.

In more recent times, Boothe has also recorded for Bunny Lee, Phil Pratt, King Jammy, Pete Weston, Jack Ruby, Hugh "Red Man" James, Castro Brown and Tappa Zukie. Plus in 1995, he teamed up with Shaggy, for a new styled version of his old self penned track, "The Train Is Coming", which appeared on the soundtrack of the film, "Money Train".

A double-disc overview of Boothe's Trojan years, "Crying Over You", was released by the record label in 2001. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifyxqq5ldfe~T1 All Music Guide - biography] ]

Discography

Albums

*"Mr. Rock Steady" - (1968)
*"Freedom Street" - (1971)
*"Black Gold and Green" - (1973)
*"Let's Get It On" - (1973)
*"Blood Brothers" - (1975)
*"Live Good" - (1978)
*"Who Gets Your Love" - (1978)
*"Talk to Me" - (1989)
*"I'm Just a Man" - (1994)
*"Natural Feeling" - (1995)
*"Rock on Love" - (1995)
*"Acclaimed" - (2000)
*"Crying Over You" - (2001) - compilation album
*"You're No Good" - (2003) [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifyxqq5ldfe~T20 All Music Guide - discography] ]

UK hit singles

*"Everything I Own" - (1974) - Number 1
*"Crying Over You" - (1974) - Number 11cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 71
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

References

External links

* [http://www.hilltop61.freeserve.co.uk/kenboothe.html Biography]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3227gjerj6im~T1 Ken Boothe biography] at Allmusic website
* [http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=160 Big Up Radio Biography]