20 Facts About Gregory Isaacs

Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD was a Jamaican reggae musician.

The single sold poorly and Gregory Isaacs went on to team up with Errol Dunkley to start the African Museum record label and shop, and soon had a hit with "My Only Lover", credited as the first lovers rock record ever made.

Gregory Isaacs recorded for many of Jamaica's top producers during the 1970s, including Winston "Niney" Holness, Gussie Clarke, Lloyd Campbell, Glen Brown, Harry Mudie, Roy Cousins, Sydney Crooks and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Between 1977 and 1978, Gregory Isaacs again teamed up with Alvin Ranglin, recording a string of hits including "Border" and "Number One" for Ranglin's GG's label.

International stardom seemed assured in 1978 when Gregory Isaacs signed to the Virgin Records offshoot Front Line Records, and appeared in the film Rockers, in which he performed "Slavemaster".

Gregory Isaacs signed to Island Records and released the record that broke through to a wider audience, "Night Nurse", the title track from his first album for the label.

Gregory Isaacs served a six-month prison sentence in Kingston in 1982 for possession of unlicensed firearms.

Gregory Isaacs claimed that he had the weapons only for protection, but it emerged that this was his 27th arrest and that he had become involved in drug dealing and was addicted to crack cocaine.

Yellowman wrote the song Gregory Free celebrating Isaacs release, and was later featured on the Young, Gifted and Yellow album.

Gregory Isaacs was featured in the 1982 documentary Land of Look Behind.

Gregory Isaacs then built a strong relationship with Gussie Clarke of the Music Works label.

Gregory Isaacs dueted with Beres Hammond on the 1993 Philip "Fatis" Burrell-produced "One Good Turn", Burrell producing Isaacs's 1994 album Midnight Confidential.

Gregory Isaacs continued to record and perform live in the 2000s.

In 2008, Gregory Isaacs released a new studio album Brand New Me, which was nominated for the Grammy Awards for 2010.

In 2010, Gregory Isaacs put out the last of his albums to be released while he was still living; Gregory Isaacs Meets Isaac, with Zimbabwean reggae singer King Isaac.

In November 2010, Gregory Isaacs Meets Isaac was nominated for Best Reggae Album for the 2011 Grammy Awards, Gregory Isaacs's fourth Grammy nomination, and King Isaac's first.

Gregory Isaacs died of lung cancer on 25 October 2010 at his home in Harrow Weald, London.

The Gregory Isaacs Foundation was set up on 15 July 2011 by his wife June Wyndham, with the intention of continuing his charitable work.

In July 2015, a mural by Junior Moore depicting Gregory Isaacs was unveiled at 125 Orange Street, the former site of his Cash and Carry shop and now the Leggo Recording Studios.

In October 2016 the UK branch of the Gregory Isaacs Foundation installed a commemorative blue plaque at 59 Weald Lane, Harrow, the house where Isaacs lived for the last three years of his life.