Owen Gray won his first talent contest at the age of nine, and by the age of twelve he was already appearing in public, playing drums, guitar, and keyboards.
10 Facts About Owen Gray
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Owen Gray attended the Alpha Boys School and turned professional aged 19.
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Owen Gray was the first singer to praise a sound system on record, with his "On the Beach" celebrating Clement Dodd's Sir Coxsone Downbeat system in 1959, one of the first releases on Dodd's Studio One label.
4.
Owen Gray was one of the first artists to be produced by Chris Blackwell, in 1960, and his "Patricia" single was the first record ever released by Island Records.
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Owen Gray toured Europe in 1964, and by 1966 he was well known as a soul singer as well as for his ska songs.
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Owen Gray's popularity continued throughout the 1960s, working with producers such as Clement Dodd, Prince Buster, Sydney Crooks, Arthur "Duke" Reid, Leslie Kong, and Clancy Eccles, including work as a duo with Millie Small, with songs ranging from ska to ballads.
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Owen Gray continued to record regularly, having a big hit in 1968 with "Cupid".
8.
Owen Gray had greater success in Jamaica with "Hail the Man", a tribute to Emperor Haile Selassie, which was popular with the increasing Rastafari following.
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Owen Gray spent a short time living in New Orleans before returning to Jamaica where he turned his hand to roots reggae, working with producer Bunny Lee, and achieving considerable success.
10.
Owen Gray has continued to release new material regularly, often concentrating on ballads and gospel music.