19 Facts About Mikey Dread

Michael George Campbell, better known as Mikey Dread, was a Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster.

Mikey Dread was one of the most influential performers and innovators in reggae music.

Mikey Dread studied electrical engineering at the College of Arts, Science and Technology, and in 1976, started out as an engineer with the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.

Mikey Dread convinced his JBC bosses to give him his own radio program called Dread at the Controls, where he played almost exclusively reggae.

Mikey Dread began working as a recording artist, Lee "Scratch" Perry producing his signature tune "Dread at the Controls", recording for Sonia Pottinger and Joe Gibbs, and performing with the Socialist Roots sound system.

Mikey Dread studied at the National Broadcasting School in London in 1980 and in 1984 studied advanced recording technology at the North London Polytechnic.

Mikey Dread produced ten dub tracks for UB40 and toured Europe and Scandinavia as their support artist.

Mikey Dread later recorded "The Source " for Warner Brothers Records US, which obtained regularly rotated video airplay.

Mikey Dread toured in Europe and the US with Freddie McGregor, Lloyd Parks, We The People Band, and the Roots Radics Band.

Mikey Dread was nominated for a NAIRD award, an award from the Billboard Magazine, for his work on his 1990 compilation album Mikey Dread's Best Sellers.

In 1993, Mikey Dread was involved in several projects, including his tour supporting the album Obsession and working in TV with the Caribbean Satellite Network where he was Program Director and on Air personality as well as Producer of various shows.

Mikey Dread performed live with The Clash, UB40, Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, Macka B, and many other bands and artists.

Mikey Dread produced artists such as Sugar Minott, Junior Murvin, Earl Sixteen, Wally Bucker, Sunshine, Jah Grundy and Rod Taylor.

Mikey Dread worked closely with producer Trevor Elliot to launch musical career of singer Edi Fitzroy.

Mikey Dread was the featured artist on "Lips Like Sugar" with Seal for the soundtrack of the 2004 film, 50 First Dates.

Mikey Dread performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2002 and at Glastonbury Festival in 2004, and toured the UK in 2006.

Mikey Dread died on 15 March 2008, surrounded by his family, at the home of his sister in Stamford, Connecticut.

Mikey Dread left seven children, three daughters and four sons, the youngest of whom was 4 months old when he died and who he had with his wife Monica.

Released: 4 January 2006 Recorde: 1979 Label: Dread at the Controls Format: CD Producer: Mikey Dread Note: Dread at the Controls and Evolutionary Rockers on one CD.