Sheila Hylton

b. 1956, London, England. Hylton’s family moved to Jamaica in 1959, and she later attended the Jamaica Commercial Institute. Her first association with the music business came when she worked as a secretary at Total Sounds. Uninspired by secretarial work, she later divided her time between working as an air hostess for Air Jamaica and singing under the guidance of Harry J. In 1979 her debut, ‘Don’t Ask My Neighbour’, became a local chart hit and heralded the beginning of a fruitful partnership. In the early 70s Harry J. had produced a version of ‘Breakfast In Bed’, which became an international hit for Lorna Bennett, and following Hylton’s successful debut, Harry J. persuaded her to re-record the song; it entered the UK pop chart, and even surpassed his previous production. In 1980, she enjoyed a second foray into the pop charts with her interpretation of ‘Bed’s Too Big Without You’, arranged by Sly And Robbie with Harry J. taking the production credits. Third I productions in the UK recorded an identical version of the Sly And Robbie cut with vocals supplied by Julie Roberts. The television documentary Deep Roots Music featured Hylton recording in the studio, with her proud mentor Harry J. producing. In 1983 she recorded ‘Let’s Dance’, which was a minor hit in the reggae charts. Hylton left for the USA in 1984, where she found occasional employment and a husband. In 1995 she returned to Jamaica, where she signed a contract with Tommy Cowan’s Talent Corporation and recorded a version of Diana Ross And The Supremes’ ‘My World Is Empty Without You’.