Bitty McLean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bitty McLean
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Bitty MacLean at Ruhr Reggae Summer 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Delroy Easton McLean |
| Born | 8 August 1972 Birmingham, England |
| Genres | Reggae, lovers rock, ragga |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Brilliant Records, Kuff Records, Peckings Records, TAXI, TABOU1 |
| Associated acts | UB40, Sly and Robbie |
Delroy Easton "Bitty" McLean is a talented singer from the United Kingdom. He sings reggae music, which is a popular style from Jamaica. He is also known for lovers' rock and ragga music. Bitty McLean became famous in the 1990s with several songs that reached the top of the music charts. His first big hit was "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)".
Contents
Bitty McLean's Musical Journey
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Bitty McLean was born on August 8, 1972. He was the youngest of six children. His family gave him the nickname "Bitty" because he was small. When he was a teenager, he started performing with local music groups called sound systems.
After high school, Bitty studied sound engineering in college. This helped him learn how to record and mix music. Later, he got a job with the famous band UB40. He worked as an engineer and producer for them. Sometimes, he even sang with the band.
Rising to Fame in the 1990s
Bitty McLean became very popular in the mid-1990s. He was known for singing cover versions of older songs. One of his big hits was "Dedicated to the One I Love" by The Shirelles. This song reached number 6 on the UK music charts.
His biggest hit was "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)". This song was originally by Fats Domino. Bitty's version reached number 2 in the UK in 1993. It also topped the music charts in New Zealand and the Netherlands. Bitty McLean also went on tour with UB40, Wet Wet Wet, and Simply Red. He performed in big arenas across the UK.
New Music and Collaborations
In 2004, Bitty McLean released an album called On Bond Street KGN. JA.. For this album, he sang over old rocksteady music from the Treasure Isle studio. He wrote new lyrics for most of the songs. He also covered songs like "Walk Away from Love" and "Make It with You".
In 2007, he recorded another album called Movin' On. He worked with the famous Jamaican music duo Sly and Robbie in Kingston. This album was released in Europe, the US, and Japan. Bitty McLean, Sly, and Robbie toured together in Japan, Europe, and Morocco in 2008 and 2009.
In 2013, Bitty McLean released a new album with Sly & Robbie called The Taxi Sessions. He also released a live DVD of their concert in Paris. That same year, he joined The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra to sing on their cover of "Fu Man Chu". He performed this song with them on the TV show Later... with Jools Holland.
Recent Projects and Tributes
In 2017, Bitty McLean and producer Guillaume Bougard visited Drexel University in Philadelphia. They gave talks about how Jamaican music is made. They also started working on a new soul music project.
In 2018, Bitty McLean released the album Love Restart. This album featured new songs and was produced with Sly & Robbie and Guillaume Bougard. It was mastered at the famous Abbey Road studios. Bitty McLean toured Europe with Sly & Robbie to promote the album.
After Robbie Shakespeare passed away in 2021, Bitty McLean decided to record a special album. This album features songs over music created by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. It is a tribute to Robbie's amazing work.
Family Connections
Bitty McLean has some famous family members. He is the uncle of footballer Aaron McLean. He is also the uncle of singer Anthony, who is known as "McLean".
Discography
Albums
- Just to Let You Know... (1994)
- Natural High (1995)
- Soul to Soul (2003)
- On Bond Street KGN. JA. (2005)
- Made in Jamaica (2007)
- Movin On (2009)
- The Taxi Sessions (2013)
- Love Restart (2018)
Singles
- "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)" (1993)
- "Pass It On" (1993)
- "Here I Stand" (1994)
- "Dedicated to the One I Love" (1994)
- "What Goes Around" (1994)
- "Over the River" (1995)
- "We've Only Just Begun" (1995)
- "Nothing Can Change This Love" (1995)
- "Natural High" (1996)
- "She's Alright" (1996)
- "Walk Away from Love" (2004)
- "The Real Thing" (2005)
- "Let Them Talk" (2006)
- "Got to Let Go" (2008)
See also
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of lovers rock artists
