Ken Boothe added to The London International Ska Festival

Music News | Nov 27th, 2010

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The London International Ska Festival is shaping up to be the festival to go to next year! If you live in London and love ska, you’re in for a treat as Ken Boothe has been added to the London Int Ska Festival. The fest is taking place in April 21st-24th 2011 in London, UK at The Clapham Grand Theatre. Read more about the festival below.

We are honoured and delighted to announce the first legendary Jamaican artist to be added to The London Intl Ska Festival is Ken Boothe.

Best known for his No.1 UK hit ‘Everything I Own’, Ken started his musical career by winning a singing competition at the age of 8, in his birthplace of Kingston, Jamaica. His debut recording came in the ska-era when he teamed up with Winston ‘Stranger’ Cole in the duo Stranger And Ken, releasing classic cuts including ‘World’s Fair’, ‘Hush’ and ‘Artibella’, before moving onto Clement Dodd’s Studio One label. A series of classic cuts followed including ‘The Train Is Coming’ (on which he was backed by Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer & BB Seaton of The Gaylads) and ‘Moving Away’. In 1967 he toured the UK for the first time with fellow rocksteady legend Alton Ellis. The tour was hugely successful, with Boothe being promoted as “Mr.Rock Steady”. The title was also used for his superb debut album the following year, which contained the unlikely but huge selling rocksteady version of ‘Puppet On A String’.

Upon leaving Studio One he was indemand with Jamaica’s top producers: Sonia Pottinger, Phil Pratt, Leslie Kong, Bunny Lee, B.B. Seaton, Keith Hudson, Randy’s, Niney the Observer, releasing many island hits including ‘Freedom Street’. In 1974 Ken Boothe teamed up with producer Lloyd Charmers, a pairing and subsequent releases on Trojan Records, that spawned his two biggest UK hits. The aforementioned ‘Everything I Own’ top the charts for 4 weeks and the follow-up ‘Crying Over You’ reached number 11. The pair also issued other superb versions of ‘Who Gets Your Love’, ‘Let’s Get It On’, ‘Silver Words’ and Ain’t No Sunshine’

To this day Ken Boothe tours all over the world and remains one of Jamaica’s most loved vocalists with his uniquely emotive and soulful style. In 2003 this fact was recognised by the Jamaican government awarding him the Order Of Distinction for his contribution to Jamaican music.

The lineup so far:
KEN BOOTHE
THE ENGLISH BEAT starring DAVE WAKELING
JAMES HUNTER
THE SKA FLAMES* (Japan)
DUB PISTOLS
THE TROJANS
THE LOAFERS* (one off reformation)
HOTKNIVES* (original line up)
BIM SKALA BIM* (USA)
MAROON TOWN
INTENSIFIED
NAPOLEON SOLO (Denmark)
THE CAROLOREGIANS (Belgium)
THE AMPHETAMEANIES (Scotland)
THE SIDEWALK DOCTORS
CARTOON VIOLENCE (Wales)
JIMMY THE SQUIRREL

Confirmed DJ line up
MARK LAMARR
GAZ MAYALL / GAZS ROCKIN BLUES
WRONGTOM
THE TIGHTEN UP CREW w/ CHAMPIAN MC
JIM COX (REGGAE TRAIN)
FELIX HALL
GREEDY G

*exclusive one off shows
More tba very soon including 4 legendary Jamaican names

For tickets and more info, please visit www.londoninternationalskafestival.co.uk

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