Alton Ellis: 1944-2008

Alton Ellis: 1944-2008

Mr. Soul, Alton Ellis, passed away on the morning of October 9th. The world was given this treasure in 1944 when he was born in Trenchtown, Kingston, JA. His career spanned nearly five decades and his ever-lasting impression on the future of Jamaican music came in the mid- to late-sixties as the riddim-laden grooves filled with his soulful melodies permeated the upbeat vibrations of the ska era. The summer of 66 saw the explosion of Rocksteady in the Kingston scene and Alton ruled the dancehalls during this time as he cuts tunes for Studio One and Treasure Isle among others.

His musical longevity persisted for years and years and he enjoyed much-deserved praise from a new generation of listeners as Ska and Rocksteady made a revival in the late nineties.