| The Congos formed as the trio(3). "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (tenor) (b. Roydel Johnson, 1947, Hanover, Jamaica), Cedric Myton (falsetto) (b. 1947, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), and Watty Burnett (baritone) (b.early 1950s, Port Antonio, Jamaica).[1][2] Myton had previously been a member of The Tartans in the late 1960s (along with Prince Lincoln Thompson, Devon Russell and Lindburgh Lewis), and Ras Michael's group, and had recorded with Thompson's Royal Rasses in the mid-1970s.[3][4] He formed the Congos, initially as a duo with Johnson, recording the single "At the Feast" for Lee "Scratch" Perry.[1] Perry expanded the group to a trio with the addition of Burnett, this line-up recording the classic roots reggae album Heart of the Congos in 1977 at Perry's Black Ark studio.[1] The album featured illustrious backing singers such as Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry LLewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones.[4] The album has been described as "the most consistently brilliant album of Scratch's entire career".[5] Perry's previous productions by Max Romeo and Junior Murvin had been huge commercial successes thanks to a deal with Island Records, but Perry was in dispute with Island at the time the Congos' album was finished, so it was released on his own Black Ark label, limiting its success overseas, and causing a rift with the group.[1] The Congos went their own way, organizing a limited pressing of the album themselves. United Kingdom label Go Feet eventually ... |
