13 Facts About Dennis Bovell

Dennis Bovell was born on 22 May 1953 and is a Barbados-born reggae guitarist, bass player and record producer, based in the United Kingdom.

Dennis Bovell was a member of a progressive rock group called Stonehenge, who later changed name and became the British reggae band Matumbi, and released dub-reggae records under his own name as well as the pseudonym Blackbeard.

Dennis Bovell is most widely known for his decades-spanning collaborations with Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Dennis Bovell was friends at school with future rock musicians including keyboardist Nick Straker and record producer Tony Mansfield, both of whom later worked with Dennis Bovell.

Dennis Bovell was a member of a progressive rock group called Stonehenge, who later changed name and became the British reggae band Matumbi.

Dennis Bovell worked as an engineer at Dip Records, the precursor to the Lovers Rock label, and he was a key figure in the early days of the lovers rock genre.

Dennis Bovell is known for attempting to fuse disco rhythms with reggae, most notably with the hit song "Silly Games" by Janet Kay.

Dennis Bovell has produced albums by a wide variety of artists including Creation Rebel, I-Roy, the Thompson Twins, Sharon Shannon, Alpha Blondy, Bananarama, the Pop Group, Fela Kuti, the Slits, Orange Juice and Madness.

Dennis Bovell has collaborated with poet, Linton Kwesi Johnson for much of his working life.

Dennis Bovell co-wrote and co-produced the majority of material by British reggae singer Bobby Kray.

Dennis Bovell has written music for the 1983 television drama The Boy Who Won the Pools and Global Revolution.

In Steve McQueen's 2020 film Lovers Rock, the second in his five-part anthology series Small Axe, Dennis Bovell has a cameo role and his song "Silly Games" is prominently featured.

Dennis Bovell was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to music.