Toyan

Toyan aka Ranking Toyan (born Byron Letts, died 1991) was a Jamaican reggae deejay active since the mid-1970s.
Toyan began his career in 1974, deejaying on Kingston's sound systems, such as Socialist Roots and Romantic HiFi. He recorded his debut single, "Disco Pants" in the late 1970s for producer Don Mais. He went on to work extensively with Joseph Hoo Kim and Jah Thomas, resulting in a string of hits including "Girls Nowadays", "Kill No Man", "John Tom", and "Talk of the Town", as well as combination hits with The Mighty Diamonds ("Pretty Woman"), Badoo ("Rocking the 5000"), and Freddie McGregor ("Roots Man Skanking"). 
In 1981 he joined Henry "Junjo" Lawes' Volcano Sound system, and toured Canada. With Lawes, he recorded the album How the West Was Won, which is regarded as his best work, and went on to produce his own work and that of others such as Billy Boyo and Anthony Johnson. He toured the United Kingdom with the Jah Prophecy band and performed in Jamaica alongside Dennis Brown.
He was murdered in Jamaica in 1991.
==Links to Peel==
Peel seemed to have discovered the singer in the late 70's, according to available tracklistings on this site. He would play further material from Toyan until the early 00's. 
==Shows Played==
;thumb|220x220px1979
*13 December 1979: Natty Roots (7") Roots Tradition
;1980
*05 January 1980 (BFBS): Natty Roots (7") Roots Tradition
*14 May 1980: Kill No Man (7”) Roots Tradition
*24 May 1980 (BFBS): Kill No Man (7”) Roots Tradition
*04 June 1980: Kill No Man (7") Roots Tradition
*15 December 1980: Peace & Love (split 12" with Jah Thomas & Roots Radics - Peace & Love / Adapter Chapter) Daddy Kool
*27 December 1980 (BFBS): Peace And Love (split 12" with Jah Thomas & Roots Radics- Peace & Love / Adapter Chapter) Daddy Kool 
;1981
*01 April 1981: Natty Step It In Tracks & Socks (7”) Roots Tradition
*07 April 1981: Natty Step It In Tracks And Socks (7") Roots Tradition
*11 April 1981 (BFBS): Natty Step It In Tracks And Socks (7") Roots Transition
*12 May 1981: How The West Was Won (Album: How The West Was Won) (Greensleeves)
*13 May 1981: Children Children (Album: How The West Was Won) (Greensleeves)
*19 May 1981: Natty Step It In Tracks And Socks (7") Roots Tradition
*21 May 1981: unknown (LP - How The West Was Won) Greensleeves
*21 May 1981 (BFBS): Children Children (album - How The West Was Won) Greensleeves GREL 20 JP - "clearly he's stopped Ranking"
*28 May 1981 (BFBS): Capital Offence (album - How The West Was Won) Greensleeves
*02 June 1981: How The West Was Won (LP - How The West Was Won) Greensleeves
*18 June 1981 (BFBS): Capital Offence (album - How The West Was Won) Greensleeves
*25 June 1981: Reggae Gone International (LP - How The West Was Won) Greensleeves
*12 July 1981 (BFBS): Gun Fever (7") Roots Tradition
*20 July 1981: Gun Fever (7") Roots Tradition
*01 September 1981: Better Your Life (7") Legal Light Sounds
*03 September 1981 (BFBS): Better Your Life (7") Legal Light Sounds
*07 October 1981: Entertainment (12" - Entertainment / Jah Guide I) Greensleeves
*06 December 1981 (BFBS): Special Request To All Isle Vendor (v/a album - Whole New Generation Of D.J.) Greensleeves
*21 December 1981: Spar With Me (7") Jah Guidance
;1982
*06 January 1982: Spar With Me (7”) Jah Guidance 
*17 February 1982: Bully Dread (split album with Nicodemus - 2 Bad DJs Meet) DJ Clash
*22 February 1982: 'Pants And Blouses (12 inch)' (Grim Ben)
*28 February 1982 (BFBS): Bully Dread (split album with Nicodemus - DJ Clash) Greensleeves
*02 March 1982: Pants And Blouses (single) Grimm Ben
*19 April 1982: Roots Man Skanking (12") Greensleeves 
;1983
*27 July 1983: Calypso (7") Volcano 
*31 July 1983 (BFBS): Calypso (7") Volcano
;1984
*18 July 1984 (BFBS): Hot Bubble Gum (7") Power House
*09 September 1984 (BFBS): Ram Dance Master (7") Power House
*11 September 1984: Ram Dance Master (7") Power House
*19 September 1984: Ram Dance Master (7") Power House
*23 September 1984 (BFBS): Ram Dance Master (7") Power House
*27 September 1984: Ram Dance Master (7") Power House
;1987
*31 March 1987: Natty Step It In Tracks & Socks (7") Roots Tradition
;1997
*20 February 1997: 'Natty Step It In Tracks & Socks (7")' Roots Tradition
*27 February 1997: Kill No Man (7") Roots Tradition
;2000
*10 May 2000 (& Sammy Dread): Natty Step It In Tracks And Socks
;2001
*23 January 2001: Natty Step It In Tracks & Socks (7") Roots Tradition
*01 February 2001 (Radio Eins): Natty Step It In Tracks And Socks (7") Roots Tradition
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists