Harry Zephaniah Johnson (6 July 1945 – 3 April 2013), known by the stage name Harry J, was a Jamaican reggae record producer.
Biography
Born in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica, Johnson started to play music with the Virtues as a bass player before moving into management of the group.[1][3] When the band split up he worked as an insurance salesman.[3] He first appeared as a record producer in 1968, when he launched his own record label, "Harry J", by releasing The Beltones' local hit "No More Heartaches", one of the earliest reggae songs to be recorded.[3] His agreement with Coxsone Dodd allowed him to use Studio One's facilities, where he produced the hit "Cuss Cuss" with singer Lloyd Robinson, which became one of the most covered riddims in Jamaica, with notable versions released by Horace Andy and Lloyd Barnes.[3] Johnson also released music under a subsidiary label, Jaywax.
In October 1969, he met success in the UK with "The Liquidator" (number 9 in the UK Singles Chart) recorded with his sessionband, The Harry J All Stars. (it was also a hit again in 1980, reaching number 42.)[3][4][5] This single became one of the anthems of the emerging skinhead youth subculture; together with other instrumental hits released in the UK through his own subdivision "Harry J" on Trojan Records, on a compilation album of the same name.
In the beginning of the 1970s, he enjoyed another big success with the vocal duo Bob and Marcia with the song "Young, Gifted and Black".[3] His productions also included Jamaican hits with DJs like Winston Blake or Scotty among others, and many dub versions.
In 1972, Harry Johnson sold his record shop and set up his own recording studio "Harry J", on 10 Roosevelt Avenue, Uptown Kingston, where he employed Sid Bucknor and later Sylvan Morris as resident recording engineer.[3] Harry J Studio soon became one of the most famous Jamaican studios after having recorded several Bob Marley & The Wailers albums from 1973 to 1976 before the Tuff Gong era, such as Rastaman Vibration and Catch A Fire.[2]
