Mighty Diamonds

Mighty Diamondsfeaturing Unite-One and DJ CourtThe Mighty Diamonds, Donald Tabby Shaw, Fitzroy Bunny Simpson and Lloyd Judge Ferguson formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, Jamaica and for the past 32 years have been entertaining and educating the world with their sweet harmonies and conscious lyrics.Vocal trio the Mighty Diamonds were one of the most internationally popular reggae groups to emerge from the '70s roots era. More accessible than many other roots outfits, the Diamonds boasted… Show more soulful, gorgeously pure harmonies and tight, catchy songwriting, much of it from within the group itself. They were devout Rastafarians, but balanced their spiritual and political messages with sweet romantic material, which gave them a more universal appeal than militant groups like Culture or Black Uhuru. Regardless of whether they were singing love songs or protest anthems, the Mighty Diamonds brought a startling emotional commitment to their best material, and their debut album, Right Time, still stands as one of roots reggae's all-time classics.The Mighty Diamonds were formed in 1969 in the Kingston ghetto of Trenchtown, also home to Bob Marley. From day one onward, their lineup consisted of founder and harmony singer Pat "Lloyd" Ferguson (aka Judge Diamond, the Judge), lead singer Donald Shaw (aka Tabby Diamond, the Prophet), and harmony singer Fitzroy Simpson (aka Bunny Diamond, the Jester). Their sweet sound and polished choreography were distinctly inspired by the Motown groups of the '60s. During the early '70s, they recorded for several producers, including Stranger Cole and Rupie Edwards, without much success. Finally, in 1973, they caught on at Byron Lee's Dynamic Sounds studio and notched their first hit with "Shame and Pride."From there, the group moved on to Joseph "JoJo" Hoo Kim's Channel One imprint in 1975. They scored two quick hits with "Country Living" and "Hey Girl," and then had their biggest success yet with "Right Time." Signed to a major-label deal with Virgin, the Mighty Diamonds issued their first album, also titled Right Time, in 1976. It was an instant classic, tackling a multitude of social and spiritual issues with powerful yet graceful music, and spawned further hits in "I Need a Roof," "Have Mercy," and "Africa." Now stars in the U.K. as well as Jamaica, the group traveled to New Orleans to record their follow-up LP, Ice on Fire. Produced by Allen Toussaint, the album was an uneasy marriage of reggae and American R&B, and was received poorly by the group's roots-minded fans.Unite-Onehttps://www.facebook.com/UniteOneBandUnite-One is a Seattle based band seeking to inspire global change through the communication of conscious music. With the support of international roots label Culture Yard Records, Unite-One has performed throughout the greater Seattle area over the last several years. With a foundation in Funk, Reggae, Blues, and improvisational Jam dynamics, Unite-One has rocked performances ranging from 100% Solar Powered outdoor concerts to headlining sets @ Seattle's own Nectar Lounge. This band stands for Sustainability, Innovation, Peace, and a Love of Pure Harmony.

Show less