10 Facts About Derrick Harriott

Derrick Clifton Harriott OD was born on 6 February 1939 and is a Jamaican singer and record producer.

Derrick Harriott was a member of the Jiving Juniors with Herman Sang before embarking on a solo career.

Derrick Harriott entered the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour talent contest as a solo artist in 1955, failing to reach the final round, and entered again in 1957 as a duo with Sang, going on to win several times.

In 1958 Derrick Harriott formed the Jiving Juniors with Eugene Dwyer, Herman Sang, and Maurice Wynter.

The group split up after Derrick Harriott emigrated to the United States, although the other members continued for a while with Jimmy Mudahy replacing Derrick Harriott.

Derrick Harriott embarked on a solo career and later formed his own record label, Crystal.

Derrick Harriott produced successful albums by other artists, including DJ Scotty's Schooldays, Dennis Brown's Super Reggae and Soul Hits, and his own 14 Chartbuster Hits.

Derrick Harriott was one of the first producers to use King Tubby mixing talents at his Waterhouse studio, issuing one of the earliest dub albums in 1974: Scrub A Dub, credited to The Crystallites.

In July 2002 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Derrick Harriott performed at the two-night Legends of Ska festival.

In 2009, Derrick Harriott was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government, and in 2019 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Music from the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association.