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Lee bought the WIRL studios from Seaga and turned them into
Dynamic Sounds Recording Co., where the Dragonaires naturally recorded, using the superior facilities to record a string of well-produced albums during the late 1960s and early 1970s, often containing cover versions aimed at tourists, and
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The WIRL name had remained with its division in
Barbados and had remained the ever-popular brand of Bajan music until 1995, when it changed its name to E.A. Best Music Ltd, and eventually to its current name, Caribbean Records—still the major record company and distributor of Barbados. Back in
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was the music to provide
Jamaica with a musical identity that could break the domination of American R&B, and the Dragonaires became one of the major ska bands of the early 1960s, releasing singles such as "Fireflies", "Mash! Mr Lee", "Joy Ride", and a ska version of
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After a few years of playing at parties, birthdays and weddings, Lee decided to turn professional. By 1956, the
Dragonaires had become a fixture on Jamaica's hotel circuit, playing under their own name and also providing backing to visiting
385:. The trip was not a great success, with the Dragonaires' "uptown" musicians not fitting in with the other "downtown" artists. Realising that their appeal to ska crowds was diminishing, Lee took the band in a new direction, incorporating
407:(he acted as head of distribution for the US company in Jamaica) led to the label releasing Dragonaires records in the US, including two albums timed to capitalise on interest generated from the World's Fair performances,
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The band has continued since Lee's death, with the name initially slightly altered to Byron Lee's
Dragonaires. They later changed the band name to The Dragonaires as they were no longer able to use Lee's name.
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The band received another major boost when they were selected by Seaga, then the island's head of Social
Welfare and Economic Development, in 1964 to travel to the
312:, who became the band's manager. The single was released on the Dragonaires' own Dragon's Breath label in Jamaica, and was the second release on the
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459:'s greatest singles, to produce the album. In addition, the Dragonaires were renamed The Ska Kings on the album. Despite Atlantic's best efforts,
333:", both under their own name, and as the Ska Kings. In 1961, the band received a huge break when they were cast as the hotel band in the first
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album. They would release both reggae and carnival-oriented albums throughout the 1970s, and in 1975 took in another genre with the
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Jamaica, Dynamic had become a bigger force than ever before, investing in pressing more of
Jamaica's talent to vinyl, including
77:
528:. It was during this time that many of their most famous calypso songs were recorded, including the hit "Tiny Winey" (1984).
502:
In 1974, the band played at
Trinidad and Tobago's carnival for the first of many times, and the same year they released the
289:. The Dragonaires prided themselves on being able to play any style of music, their repertoire including covers of American
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festival in both 1978 and 1979, and were one of the main backing bands in 1982. They would also appear in 1984 and 1990.
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Throughout the 1990s they were also regulars at
Jamaica's carnival, and their "Dance Hall Soca" hit (recorded with
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failed to take off in the United States, although the record "Jamaica Ska" became a top 30 single in Canada.
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band. The band played a crucial pioneering role in bringing
Caribbean music to the world.
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they went on to record a series of "Reggay"-titled albums in the early 1970s.
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and perform as a backing band for a showcase of Jamaican talent, including
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The band recorded their debut single, "Dumplin's", in 1959 at the WIRL (
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From 1979, the Dragonaires output was heavily concentrated on calypso,
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in 1963 and 1964. Also the band contributed the instrumental part of
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In August 2014 it was announced that Carl Brady would receive the
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347:. The songs "Jump Up" and "Kingston Calypso" appeared on the
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team for which they played. The band originally played
1162:"Jamaica bandleader Byron Lee, 73, dies from cancer"
447:. Further, Atlantic Records tried to push the album
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and his friend Carl Brady, taking its name from the
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1234:"Marcia Griffiths to receive Order of Distinction"
1203:
549:Byron Lee died on 4 November 2008, aged 73, from
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1178:
1181:"Byron Lee's Dragonaires hasn't missed a beat"
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982:Jamaica Ska & Other Jamaican Party Anthems
510:album, released on Mercury Records in the US.
415:(on which the Dragonaires backed the likes of
246:The band was originally formed around 1950 by
234:died on 4 November 2008, after suffering from
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111:Learn how and when to remove this message
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297:hits, and they soon adapted to include
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138:The Ska Kings, Byron Lee's Dragonaires
629:People Get Ready, This Is Rock Steady
49:adding citations to reliable sources
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16:Jamaican ska, calypso and soca band
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1232:Campbell, Howard (7 August 2014).
1204:Grizzle, Shereita (28 June 2015).
1179:Ogilvie, Anthony (29 April 2009).
14:
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1082:. 27 October 2008. Archived from
403:in 1966. Lee's relationship with
1206:"Dragonaires Retain Their Sound"
25:
1098:"RPM Top 40-5s - June 29, 1964"
1074:"Byron Lee gets OJ in hospital"
60:"Byron Lee and the Dragonaires"
36:needs additional citations for
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1142:Soni, Paresh (12 March 2007).
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947:Soca Fire Inna Jamdown Stylee
923:Trinidad Tobago Carnival City
635:Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
435:market with albums of mainly
205:Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
127:Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
1166:International Herald Tribune
1050:Reggae & Caribbean Music
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827:Jamaica's Golden Hits Vol 2
306:West Indies Records Limited
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301:when that became popular.
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211:after Lee's death and now
821:Original Rock Steady Hits
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839:Christmas in the Tropics
689:Reggay Hot Cool and Easy
238:for a sustained period.
1048:Thompson, Dave (2002).
952:Jump and Wave for Jesus
641:Rock Steady Intensified
513:The band played at the
473:Toots & the Maytals
209:Byron Lee's Dragonaires
743:Six Million Dollar Man
695:Reggay Roun' the World
564:in October that year.
544:Cricket World Cup 2007
455:, who produced all of
192:WIRL, Dynamic Sounds,
1000:The Man and His Music
761:Jamaica's Golden Hits
653:The Many Moods of Lee
647:Reggay with Byron Lee
371:New York World's Fair
364:Toots and the Maytals
322:Fender Precision Bass
737:Reggay International
713:Carnival in Trinidad
611:Christmas Party Time
587:First Class with Lee
581:The Sound of Jamaica
562:Order of Distinction
504:Carnival in Trinidad
252:St. George's College
45:improve this article
1313:Jamaican ska groups
1299:Entry for Byron Lee
1144:"Night to remember"
1086:on 30 October 2008.
779:Carnival Experience
391:Trinidad and Tobago
1123:. 12 December 2008
1052:. Backbeat Books.
917:Soca Greatest Hits
707:Dancing Is Forever
683:Reggay Splash Down
546:opening ceremony.
1279:45cat discography
970:Caribbean Sty-Lee
863:De Music Hot Mama
815:Carnival City '83
593:Caribbean Joyride
575:Come Fly with Lee
417:The Blues Busters
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1246:on 16 April 2019
1242:. Archived from
1239:Jamaica Observer
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875:Jamaica Carnival
833:Heat in De Place
749:This Is Carnival
659:Reggay Blast Off
623:Rock Steady Beat
515:Reggae Sunsplash
441:Rock Steady Beat
419:, The Charmers,
405:Atlantic Records
397:'s recording of
331:Over the Rainbow
269:stars including
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719:The Midas Touch
617:Rock Steady '67
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271:Harry Belafonte
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62: –
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56:Find sources:
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34:This article
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23:
22:
19:
1269:Band website
1248:. Retrieved
1244:the original
1237:
1227:
1215:. Retrieved
1209:
1199:
1191:the original
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1174:
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1137:
1125:. Retrieved
1120:The Guardian
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857:Soca Thunder
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791:Carnival '81
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731:Disco Reggae
730:
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701:Reggae Fever
700:
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677:Goin' Places
676:
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540:Kevin Lyttle
537:
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512:
508:Disco Reggae
507:
503:
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493:Tommy McCook
469:
465:
461:Jamaican Ska
460:
449:Jamaican Ska
448:
444:
440:
413:Jamaican Ska
412:
408:
398:
389:and touring
383:Millie Small
368:
349:
338:
310:Edward Seaga
303:
279:The Drifters
263:
245:
212:
208:
204:
203:
180:Years active
107:
101:October 2007
98:
88:
81:
74:
67:
55:
43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
1115:"Byron Lee"
988:Sweet Music
941:Soca Tremor
935:Soca Frenzy
911:Soca Engine
773:Reggae Hits
725:Carnival 75
665:Reggay Eyes
485:Barry Biggs
421:The Maytals
400:Only a Fool
375:Jimmy Cliff
356:Jimmy Cliff
287:Fats Domino
275:Chuck Berry
194:JAD Records
1127:6 December
1008:References
994:Soca Royal
964:Soca Vibes
929:Socarobics
905:Soca Tatie
877:'90 (1990)
797:Byron 1982
755:Art of Mas
671:Tighten Up
433:rocksteady
429:Ken Boothe
352:soundtrack
335:James Bond
207:(known as
71:newspapers
1250:10 August
976:Sexy Body
887:Wine Down
851:Soca Girl
497:Max Romeo
481:John Holt
314:Blue Beat
283:Sam Cooke
248:Byron Lee
232:Byron Lee
184:1950–2020
1307:Category
809:Soul Ska
453:Tom Dowd
439:such as
267:American
255:football
217:Jamaican
215:) are a
1288:Discogs
1217:28 June
605:Jump Up
542:at the
409:Jump Up
387:calypso
295:R&B
242:History
224:calypso
169:calypso
147:Jamaica
85:scholar
1056:
1002:(2010)
996:(2008)
990:(2004)
984:(2004)
978:(2003)
972:(2002)
966:(2001)
960:(2000)
954:(1999)
943:(1999)
937:(1998)
931:(1997)
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631:(1967)
625:(1967)
619:(1967)
613:(1966)
607:(1964)
601:(1964)
595:(1964)
589:(1964)
583:(1963)
577:(1962)
568:Albums
551:cancer
495:, and
381:, and
362:, and
350:Dr. No
340:Dr. No
337:film,
285:, and
236:cancer
189:Labels
165:reggae
153:Genres
143:Origin
87:
80:
73:
66:
58:
1101:(PDF)
259:mento
161:mento
92:JSTOR
78:books
1297:IMDb
1252:2014
1219:2015
1129:2021
1054:ISBN
522:soca
443:and
411:and
293:and
228:soca
226:and
173:soca
64:news
1295:at
1148:BBC
326:ska
299:ska
291:pop
220:ska
157:Ska
47:by
1309::
1236:.
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1016:^
553:.
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1254:.
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1131:.
1103:.
1062:.
329:"
114:)
108:(
103:)
99:(
89:·
82:·
75:·
68:·
41:.
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