Just a quick drop of two outstanding written pieces on the great Gregory Isaacs.  Behind Bob Marley I would say that Gregory Isaacs is the most beloved reggae artist to ever emerge from Jamaica.  He was without a doubt the most prolific, most influential, most popular Jamaican artist since Bob Marley.

Gregory was a true “sufferer.” His continual struggle to conquer his personal demons endeared him with the Jamaican people.  In my opinion, Gregory was wrongly cast aside by many uptowners and journalists who have no overstanding about the insidious nature of substance addiction and the toll it takes on the mind and body.  A very well-known producer once told me that Gregory Isaacs was one of two true geniuses he ever worked with, the other being Sly Dunbar.  Many who knew Gregory well have confirmed his genius.  This is a man who literally could not stop writing songs.  The only way he found to deal with the furious activity of his mind was to numb it with drugs.

The first is an article by Roger Steffens which appeared in The Beat in 1995.

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