Junior Kelly
b. Keith Morgan, 23 September 1969, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Morgan was educated at St. Catherine High School and through peer pressure inherited his brother Jim’s musical legacy. Morgan was the brother of the late DJ, Jim Kelly, whose dancehall prominence opened a few doors for his younger sibling. In 1985, his elder brother took Morgan to his favourite studio where he recorded his debut, ‘Over Her Body’. The song did not make a significant impression within the Jamaican music industry but led to a series of auditions with the islands’ top producers, although artistic differences resulted in a small number of actual recording sessions. While he was establishing his career the setback of his elder brother’s untimely demise resulted in the younger Morgan performing as Junior Kelly in tribute to the late DJ. It was not until 1993 that Morgan’s second release, ‘Give Them A Bly’, surfaced. The singer has since stated that once he was satisfied with the conscientious approach to music demonstrated by the Marley brothers and the Ghetto Youths Crew he authorised the song’s release.
Having established his name in the mid-90s Morgan maintained his profile with a series of low-key releases notably, ‘Go To Hell’, ‘Black Woman’ and ‘Hungry Days’. His breakthrough came in 1999 when he recorded the sublime, ‘If Love So Nice’. This single inspired Jet Star to commission his debut, Rise. The set was recorded with Mafia And Fluxy and was met with critical acclaim in the UK. The singer also enjoyed international specialist chart success with, ‘If Love So Nice’ alongside releases from the album including ‘Rise’ and ‘What Will It Take’. In May 2000, ‘If Love So Nice’ topped the Jamaican chart for 13 weeks, which led to a slew of global reggae hits notably, ‘Jah Jah Live On’, ‘Can’t Get Away’, ‘Clean Heart’, ‘God Bless’ and ‘One Day’. Having found his niche within the roots cognoscenti Morgan rejected digital rhythms and acknowledged the influence of artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear in his music. Through his righteous stance he built a strong following in Europe and was often labelled in the media as the roots ambassador for the millennium.
© TiVo
Similar artists
-
Wah Fi See
Junior Kelly, Luigi Society, Frankie Music
Dancehall - Released by Luigi Society Music & Frankie Music Production on Apr 19, 2024
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Tough Life
Reggae - Released by VP Music Group, Inc. on Sep 13, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Conscious Voice
World - Released by Penitentiary on Jun 11, 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Juvenile
Reggae - Released by Penitentiary Records on Mar 27, 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Greatest Hits
Reggae - Released by Penitentiary Records on Feb 19, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Urban Poet
Reggae - Released by Irievibrations Records on Oct 9, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Best Of Volume 1
World - Released by Penitentiary on Aug 2, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Creation
Reggae - Released by Penitentiary Records on May 11, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Toe 2 Toe - Junior Kelly and Sizzla
Reggae - Released by Jet Star Music Ltd on Jan 1, 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Urban Poet
Reggae - Released by Irievibrations Records on Oct 9, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Been There
Reggae - Released by BIGBOMB ENTERTAINMENT on Feb 19, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
What Will It Take
Reggae - Released by Penitentiary Records on Oct 24, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo