King Sporty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
King Sporty
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Noel George Williams |
| Born | September 19, 1943 Portland, Jamaica |
| Died | January 5, 2015 (aged 71) Miami, Florida |
| Labels | Tashamba, Konduko |
Noel George Williams (born September 19, 1943 – died January 5, 2015) was a cool Jamaican musician. Most people knew him as King Sporty. He was a talented DJ, played reggae music, and even produced records for his own labels, Tashamba and Konduko. King Sporty is super famous for helping to write the awesome song "Buffalo Soldier", which was a huge hit for Bob Marley.
Contents
Life and Music Journey
Early Life in Jamaica
Noel George Williams was born in Portland, Jamaica. When he was young, he started working at Studio One. This was a famous music studio. He learned a lot from Clement Dodd, who was a big name in music. King Sporty worked as a studio helper. He also recorded music as a deejay. He even performed on Dodd's sound system, which was like a big mobile party with music. In 1965, he released a song called "El Cid." He was credited as King Sporty and Justin Yap for this track.
Moving to Miami and New Sounds
In the early 1970s, King Sporty moved to Miami, Florida. There, he started his own music labels. These were called Tashamba and Konduko. He began producing music himself. In 1977, he released his album Mr. Rhythm on his Konduko label.
King Sporty loved trying new music styles. He started with reggae. Then he explored funk, disco, and electro music. He even got into Miami bass music. This happened between the 1970s and 1980s. He had big hits in the electro funk style. These included Connie Case's "Get on Down" and "Haven't Been Funked Enough." He released these under the name Ex Tras. He made deals with Tommy Boy Records in 1982.
The "Buffalo Soldier" Song
King Sporty released his first version of "Buffalo Soldier" in the late 1970s. Bob Marley later recorded this song in Miami. This was around 1978, during his Kaya tour. It became one of Marley's most famous songs.
Later Work and Awards
In 1992, King Sporty released a song called "Computer Age." He used the name Sporty and the Laptop for this track.
He was married to Betty Wright. She was an American soul and rhythm and blues singer.
In 2010, King Sporty received a special award. The International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award. This honored his long and successful career.
In 2013, a part of Sporty's song "Self Destruct" was used by Justin Timberlake. It was sampled for Timberlake's song "That Girl." This song was on his The 20/20 Experience album.
King Sporty passed away on January 5, 2015. He was 71 years old and died in Miami, Florida.
Music Groups He Used
King Sporty used different names for his music groups:
- King Sporty & The Root Rockers
- King Sporty and the Ex Tras
- Noel Williams & The Extra Funk Factory
- Sporty & The Laptop
Albums by King Sporty
Here are some of the albums King Sporty released:
- Deep Reggae Roots (1976), Konduko
- Mr. Rhythm (1977), Konduko
- Extra Funky (1983), Dancefloor
- Meet Me at the Disco (1983), Dancefloor
