The Heptones
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[edit] History
The Heptones were one of the preeminent rocksteady and reggae vocal trio in the 1960s and early 1970s. Leroy Sibbles was the lead singer and vocalists Earl Morgan and Barry Llewelyn formed the trio in the early 1960s. Formed in Kingston in the early 1960s, the trio first called itself the Hep Ones. They recorded for the major Jamaican producers at the time, starting with Coxsone Dodd, then with Joe Gibbs and Lee Perry. Sibbles is also a bass player, and backed many Studio One artists. Sibbles left the group in 1977 to start a solo career.
The Heptones had a number of Jamaican hits for Studio 1, including "Pretty Looks Isn't All", "Fatty, Fatty" and "I Hold the Handle". Some of their best Studio 1 songs can be found on their 1970 album "On Top", a favourite 'forgotten album' in The Guardian's 50 forgotten albums article (7 October 2006). Their song "Book of Rules" (1973) and a new version of "Party Time" produced by Lee Perry(1977) brought The Heptones to wider notice in 1970's reggae.
