Creation Rebel
Burning Spear (aka Winston Rodney) was born and grew up in St. Ann's parish, Jamaica.  His neighbor Bob Marley helped get the young singer started in the island nation's soon-to-be-burgeoning music industry. This collection of early tracks date from his apprenticeship at Studio One, the local equivalent of Motown and a great crucible of reggae talent. He has achieved innumerable other high points since then. His later output for Island, EMI and Heartbeat are the work of a journeyman musician and he finally won a Grammy in 1999 forCalling Rastafari. But it was during the late 1960s and early '70s that his style began to coalesce and he found his voice and message. Produced and co-written by the legendary Clement S. Dodd, the genius behind Studio One, these tunes have an endearingly vintage patina and speak of hard times and religious praise, offering words of solidarity, hope and counsel. --Christina Roden