Keith Hudson facts for kids

Keith Hudson, also known as the "Dark Prince of Reggae," was a famous Jamaican reggae artist and music producer. He was born in 1946 and passed away on November 14, 1984.

He is well-known for helping to shape the sound of dub music. Dub is a type of reggae music where parts of songs are removed or changed, often focusing on the drums and bass.

Keith Hudson's Life Story

Keith Hudson grew up in a family that loved music. He went to Boys Town School in Kingston, Jamaica. While there, he helped organize school concerts. Some of his schoolmates included famous musicians like Bob Marley, Delroy Wilson, and Ken Boothe.

Keith was a big fan of Coxsone Dodd's Downbeat sound system. A sound system is like a mobile disco with huge speakers. By the time he was about 14, he was spending time with musicians like Don Drummond. He even helped carry Don's trombone to recording sessions!

Around 1969, Keith released his first song, "Shades of Hudson." It was by a DJ named Dennis Alcapone and came out on Keith's own label, Inbidimts. Keith had learned dentistry, and he used his skills to earn money for recording music. He bought old rocksteady rhythms from other artists. Then, he recorded new vocals over them for songs like "Old Broom."

His early songs were successful enough for him to buy his own studio time. His first big recording session produced Ken Boothe's hit song "Old Fashioned Way." Keith also worked with other singers like Delroy Wilson and John Holt. He was one of the first people to record DJ U-Roy in 1969.

In 1972, Keith produced "S.90 Skank" for Big Youth. This song became a huge hit and even included motorcycle noises! In the early 1970s, Keith often worked with the Soul Syndicate band.

Becoming a Singer and Producer

In 1970, Keith Hudson started recording his own songs as a singer. Even though his singing style was unique, he recorded many tracks. From 1972, he focused more on his singing career. He also started new record labels, like the Mafia label.

His early albums in Jamaica, Furnace and Class and Subject, featured his distinct singing voice. They also included dub versions and DJ versions of his songs.

In 1974, Keith released his famous album Pick a Dub. Many people believe this was the first album made specifically for dub music. The songs were mixed in a special dub style to be on one album. It was also the first dub album to be released in the United Kingdom.

After this, Keith mostly stopped recording other singers and DJs. He wanted to focus on his own music. He moved to the United Kingdom and signed with the Atra label. There, he worked with British reggae musicians. They added new sounds to his Jamaican rhythms.

His album Flesh of My Skin, Blood of my Blood (1974) was his first album released only in the UK. Many critics called it a "masterpiece." It was seen as one of the first true reggae albums, not just a collection of singles. It was also called reggae's first "concept album" because its lyrics were about black history and important social themes.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1976, Keith moved to New York City. He signed a contract with Virgin Records. His first album with them, Too Expensive, had a more soul music sound. However, it did not sell well. Keith then returned to reggae music. Virgin Records ended his contract.

After that, Keith started his own new label called Joint. He began working again with the Soul Syndicate band. His album Rasta Communication (1978) was very popular and is considered a classic roots reggae album. He followed this with Nuh Skin Up Dub and From One Extreme to Another in 1979.

By the early 1980s, music trends were changing to "dancehall" music. Keith went back to his classic rhythms for his album Playing It Cool (1981). He recorded new vocals over his older tunes. His last album, Steaming Jungle, was released in 1982. It did not get much attention.

Sadly, Keith Hudson was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 1984. He passed away on November 14, 1984.

Keith Hudson's Music Albums

Albums

• Class & Subject – 1972 – Mafia
• Furnace – 1972 – Imbidimts
• Pick a Dub – 1974 – Mamba / Atra / Blood & Fire (CD)
• Entering The Dragon – 1974 – Magnet
• Flesh of My Skin, Blood of My Blood – 1974 – Mamba /Atra
• Torch of Freedom – 1975 – Mamba / Atra
• Too Expensive – 1976 – Virgin Records
• Brand – 1977 – Joint International (US) / Brand (UK) / Pressure Sounds (CD)
• Rasta Communication – 1978 – Joint International (US)
• From One Extreme To Another – 1979 – Joint International (US)
• Playing It Cool, Playing It Right – 1981 – Joint International (US)
• Nuh Skin Up Dub – 1982 – Joint International (US)
• Steaming Jungle – 1982 – Disc Disk

Compilations

• Various Artists – The Big J of Reggae (Joint International, 1978)
• Keith Hudson & Various Artists – Studio Kinda Cloudy (Trojan 1988)
• Keith Hudson – Sky High & The Mau Mau Presents Keith Hudson's Greatest Hits Part 1 (Sky High)
• Keith Hudson & Various Artists – Shades of Hudson (VP, 1996)
• Keith Hudson & Friends – The Hudson Affair (Trojan 2004)
• Various Artists – The Rough Guide to Dub (World Music Network, 2005)

Keith Hudson's Family

Keith Hudson's youngest son, Keith Hudson Jr., is also following in his father's musical footsteps. He is better known as Tryfle. He lives in New York City and is currently signed to The Nu Breed Music Group.

Keith Hudson's Influence

Keith Hudson's music inspired many other artists. For example, Ian Curtis from the band Joy Division was a big fan. The band New Order even covered Keith Hudson's song "Turn the Heater On" in 1982.