Laurel Aitken

Lorenzo "Laurel" Aitken (22 April 1927 – 17 July 2005) was an influential Caribbean singer and one of the pioneers of Jamaican ska music. He is often referred to as the "Godfather of Ska".
Born in Cuba of mixed Cuban and Jamaican descent, Aitken and his family settled in Jamaica in 1938. After an early career working for the Jamaican Tourist Board singing mento songs for visitors arriving at Kingston Harbour, he became a popular nightclub entertainer. His first recordings in the late 1950s were mento tunes such as "Nebuchnezer", "Sweet Chariot" (aka the gospel classic "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot") and "Baba Kill Me Goat". Aitken's 1958 single "Boogie in My Bones"/"Little Sheila" was one of the first records produced by Chris Blackwell and the first Jamaican popular music record to be released in the United Kingdom. Other more Jamaican rhythm and blues orientated singles from this period include "Low Down Dirty Girl" and "More Whisky" both produced by Duke Reid.
Aitken moved to Brixton, London, in 1960 and recorded for the Blue Beat label, releasing fifteen singles before returning to Jamaica in 1963. He recorded for Duke Reid, with backing from the Skatalites on tracks such as "Zion" and "Weary Wanderer", before returning to the UK, where he began working with Pama Records. He recorded hits such as "Fire in Mi Wire" and "Landlord and Tenants", which led to a wider recognition outside of Jamaica and the UK. This cemented his position as one of ska's leading artists and earned him the nicknames The Godfather of Ska, and later Boss Skinhead. He gained a loyal following not only among the West Indian community, but also among mods, skinheads and other ska fans. He had hit records in the United Kingdom and other countries in the 1950s through to the 1970s on labels such as Blue Beat, Pama, Trojan, Rio, Dr. Bird, Nu-Beat, Ska-Beat, Hot Lead and Dice.
== Links To Peel ==
Aitken started to appear on Peel show playlists at the height of the 2 Tone explosion at the start of the 1980s, as one of the originators of the Jamaican ska music that inspired UK bands such as the Specials, Madness and Selector. He also recorded a single Peel session (backed by the Ruts, who had appeared on the Peel-played 45 "Rudi Got Married").
== Sessions ==
1. Recorded: 1980-04-28 (with The Ruts). Broadcast: 12 May 1980. Repeated: 26 May 1980.
*Big Fat Man / Rudi Got Married / Jesse James / Rock Me Baby / Caledonia
==Other Shows Played==
;1980
*19 March 1980 (& The Untione): Rudi Got Married (single) I-Spy
*27 March 1980 (BFBS) (& The Unitone): Rudi Got Married (7") I-Spy SEE 6
*15 April 1980: Shake (7 inch) (Ska Beat)
;1982
*11 August 1982 (BFBS) (& The Unitone): Rudi Got Married (7") I-Spy SEE 6
;1987
*23 March 1987 (With Floyd Lloyd & The Potato 5): Sally Brown (LP - Floyd Lloyd & The Potato 5 Meet Laurel Aitken) Gaz's Rockin'
*24 March 1987: Little Sheila (7" - Boogie In My Bones / Little Sheila) Starlite
;1988
*04 July 1988: Woppi King
;Post-Peel
*30 November 2004 (Rob Da Bank): Baba Kill Me Goat (7") - (Sunbeam)
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists