• Source: Dobby Dobson

Highland Ralph Dobson OD (5 July 1942 – 21 July 2020) was a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer, nicknamed "The Loving Pauper" after one of his best known songs.




Biography


Dobson began singing while a student at Central Branch School in Kingston and at Kingston College, where he sang in the chapel choir, and successfully took part in Vere Johns Opportunity Hour talent contest as a member of The Twilights. While at Kingston College he wrote the doo-wop song "Cry a Little Cry" as a tribute to his biology teacher. He recruited a group of schoolmates from the Delta stream at the college to back him on a recording of the song, under the name the Dobby Dobson and the Deltas; The group included Howard Barrett (who later formed The Paragons). Released by Lyndon and Sonia Pottinger's Tip-Top label in 1959, it topped the RJR charts that year.
Leaving school in 1959, Dobson went on record with Charles Josephs as part of the duo Chuck and Dobby, before becoming a solo artist in the early 1960s, again recording for Pottinger. He later moved on to work with both Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, recording as a member of both The Virtues and The Sheiks, and recorded "Loving Pauper" with Reid, which became his signature tune. Despite his musical success, Dobson kept his job as a salesman and proof-reader for The Jamaica Gleaner. In 1971, he recorded "That Wonderful Sound" for Rupie Edwards, which sold over 40,000 copies in the Caribbean, and was followed up by the equally successful "Endlessly", which was also a minor hit on the UK Singles Chart.
Disappointing album sales led Dobson to move into production, including The Meditations' late 1970s albums Message From The Meditations and Wake Up, as well as early work by Barrington Levy. In 1979, Dobson emigrated to New York City, where he worked in real estate, although he would still occasionally visit the recording studio, and performed at both the Reggae Sunsplash and the Reggae Sumfest festivals. He continued to be popular with international fans, and was still releasing albums.
Dobson was featured in a 2009 3-D documentary called Dobby Dobson: An Interview with Jamaica's Music Ambassador, which had the tagline: "See The Double-D in 3D".
On 6 August 2011, being the 49th anniversary of the country's independence, the Governor-General of Jamaica conferred the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer (OD) upon Dobson, for his contribution to reggae music and representation of Jamaican culture.
He became a born-again Christian and recorded several gospel albums.




Death


Dobson, who had Alzheimer's disease, died from COVID-19 at a hospital in Coral Springs, Florida, on 21 July 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida.




Albums


Wonderful Sound (1970), Success
Strange (1970), Pama
God Bless Our Love, Straker's
Baby I'm Yours (1977), WIRL/Double-D
Something Old Something New (1977), Double-D
Sweet Dreams (1978), Federal
Dobby Dobson (1978), Gorgon
Oh God, Are You Satisfied (1978), United Artists
Sweet Christmas (1978), Top Ranking (featuring Ringo)
Lovers Roots (198?), Success – split with Rupie Edwards
Nothing But Love Songs Vol.3 (1980), Pioneer International
For Lovers Everywhere (1983), K&K
Sweet Dream Again! Volume 2, Pioneer International
Love You Thru It All, Studio One
History For Lovers (1990), Shelly's
At Last (1994), Angella
If I Only Had Time (1997), Angella
Hide Under The Bed (2001), Innerbeat
Lovers Prayer (2005)
Those Days are Gone (2006)
He Knows My Heart (2008), Dobby Dobson
Tomorrow (2007), Dobby Dobson
Love Songs for Jesus (2008), Dobby Dobson
You Raised Me Up
A Songs For Everyone (2011), MVD
I'm Just a Nobody (2012)
Desperation (2012), Dobby Dobson
i can't breathe (2020), Dobby Dobson
T.N.T (1942), AC/DC
Compilations

Through The Years (1991), Studio One
Best of Dobby Dobson (1997), Super Power
Greatest Hits (1997), Sonic Sounds
The Vintage Series (2000), VP
The Best of Dobby Dobson (2001), TP




References






External links


Official website
Dobby Dobson at Roots Archives

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Dobby Dobson
• Dobby
• Doo-wop
• List of reggae musicians
• Vere Johns
• List of rocksteady musicians
• Millie Small
• Trenchtown
• Dobson (surname)
• Rupie Edwards