Joe Gibbs

Biography

Joe Gibbs (born Joel A. Gibson 1943, Montego Bay Jamaica — died 21 February 2008) was a Jamaican reggae producer. When young Joe had moved to the USA where he had qualified as an electronics engineer. He would then move back to Jamaica where he opened a repair TV shop at 32 Beeston Street, he would also soon start to sell records in the shop. The sales of record was such a success that it encouraged him to get more directly involved in the music industry. In 1967 he recorded artists at the b...

Joe Gibbs (born Joel A. Gibson 1943, Montego Bay Jamaica — died 21 February 2008) was a Jamaican reggae producer.

When young Joe had moved to the USA where he had qualified as an electronics engineer. He would then move back to Jamaica where he opened a repair TV shop at 32 Beeston Street, he would also soon start to sell records in the shop. The sales of record was such a success that it encouraged him to get more directly involved in the music industry.

In 1967 he recorded artists at the back of his shop with a two-track tape machine and the help of Lee Perry who had just ended his association with Coxsone Dodd. The year after, 1968, he launched the label Amalgamated with the help of Bunny Lee. The rock steady song »Hold Them« with Roy Shirley was to be his first hit.

Lee Perry would later on leave Gibbs to form his own label - Upsetters. Joe Gibbs then started working with Winston »Niney« Holness - helping him mainting his spots on the top of the charts. During this period up to 1970 he would find great success with groups and artists such as The Pioneers, Errol Dunkley and Ken Parker. He would also work with backing bands like Lynn Taitt and the Jets (who included the organist Ansel Collins, horns players Tommy McCook, Johnny »Dizzy« Moore, Bobby Ellis and Vin Gordon) and The Hippy Boys.

With the advent of reggae he had an international success with the song »Love of the Common People« sung by Nicky Thomas (#9 in the UK charts in the summer of 1970). He also would record with artists like The Ethiopians, Delroy Wilson, and The Heptones. During this period he would also launch three new labels - Jogib, Shock, and Pressure Beat and also opened his New York Record Mart at 11 South Parade. He would also set up a business deal with Winston Edwards - with whom he (Gibbs) worked until he later would have to go out of business.

In 1972 he moved his studio to 20 North Parade and started to work with the sound engineer Errol Thompson (who used to work at Randy's). Niney had by this time gone off to work on his own productions. Gibbs and Errol Thompson would together be known as The Mighty Two. The studio band was the Professionals and this constellation would produce hundreds of singles including major hits such as »Money In My Pocket« by Dennis Brown, »Ah So We Stay« by Big Youth and »Eviction« by Black Uhuru. The Mighty Two together managed to produce over 100 Jamaican number one hits.

The deejay Prince Far I worked under a period as the security guard for Gibbs studio.

In 1975, Joe Gibbs set up his new 16-track studio and record pressing plant at 24 Retirement Crescent and continued to produce releasing the music on numerous labels (Crazy Joe, Reflections, Belmont, Town & Country). He worked at this time successfully with artists such as Dennis Brown, Jacob Miller, Sylford Walker, The Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, Prince Alla and Junior Byles.

In 1973 Gibbs had released his first Dub album - Dub Serial - and it would take until 1975 when he launched his most successfull dub ventures with the title »African Dub All-Mighty«, the first part of several albums.

In 1977 he released the album »Two Sevens Clash« with the little known group Culture. It proved to be one of his greatest successes as it hit large international and would be a major impact not only in reggae but also on punk artists such as the Clash. During these years he also worked with artists such as Marcia Aitken, Althea & Donna, John Holt, Barrington Levy, Cornell Campbell, Dean Fraser, Delroy Wilson, Beres Hammond, Ranking Joe, Prince Jazzbo, Prince Mohammed, Dillinger, Trinity, Prince Far I, Clint Eastwood, I-Roy and Kojak & Liza.

In the early 80's Gibbs had a major international hit with J.C. Lodge's hit »Someone Loves You Honey«. Gibbs however didn't pay any royalties to the song's writer, Charley Pride, who sued and won the case. Gibbs, who was unable to pay the settlement ordered by the court, went out of business.

In 1993 he returned to the scene reissuing works from his catalogue on his son Carl's Rocky One label. He also teamed up with Errol Thompson to produce some new music.

The 22nd of February, 2008, Joe Gibbs passed away from an heart attack

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