Junior Tucker

b. Leslie Tucker, 1966, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Tucker began his career as a talented child musician. He came from a musical family; his uncle was a vocalist with Count Ossie And The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari. In 1976, Tucker recorded a version of ‘Sideshow’ with Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, which had been a major hit for Barry Biggs in the same year. In April 1978, the One Love Peace Concert included a performance from Tucker, during which he sang ‘Happy’, ‘Mr Melody’ and a cover version of the Jacksons’ ‘Enjoy Yourself’, which was featured on It’s A Small Small World. The nine-track album also featured the first reggae cover version of Stephen Bishop’s ‘On And On’, which was a hit for Aswad in 1989, and ‘Who’s Lovin’ You’. Still working with his original producer, Tommy Cowan, in 1980, he enjoyed a big hit with ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’. The ‘child star’ description persisted, however, and Tucker then took a break from music. In the late 80s he worked with Handel Tucker and Erskine Thompson, and his first release with them, ‘Don’t Test’, demonstrated all the bravado then prevalent in the dancehall and married reggae with opera. The follow-up, ‘Sixteen’, was also overlooked, as was his recording featuring DJ Lieutenant Stitchie, ‘Are You Ready’, and ‘Love Is The Strongest Emotion’. In 1991 Tucker recorded a cover version of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘You Don’t Care’ with Steely And Clevie. In 1993, he achieved a reggae number 1 hit with ‘Love Of A Lifetime’, and in the mid-90s he recorded with Richie Stephens, Buccaneer, Papa San, General Degree and Beenie Man. In 1994, he released ‘Born To Love You’, which was also a hit.