Quick Info
| Profession | Singer and record producer |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Jamaican |
| Date of Birth | 06/02/1939 |
| Age | 87 years (died on 24, Oct, 2026) |
| Birthplace | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Date of Death | 24/10/2026 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
Latest News about Derrick Harriott
24/10/2026
Derrick Harriott, the Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer and record producer, died at his home in Kingston at about 1 a.m. on 24 October 2026, aged 87, after a period of illness. He had recently returned home from hospital, and his death was confirmed by Dorrel Mattocks, who runs the Derrick Harriott Music Store. Funeral and memorial arrangements had not been announced at the time of reporting.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Jamaican singer and record producer who helped shape ska, rocksteady and reggae as a performer, label owner and producer. |
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| Known For | The Loser, Crystal Records, and production work for Dennis Brown, Keith & Tex and The Kingstonians |
| Honours | Order of Distinction (OD), awarded in 2009 |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Schooling | Attended Excelsior High School in Kingston |
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Relationships & More
| Musical Collaborators |
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Career
| Early Career | Formed a duo with Claude Sang that won the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour talent contest by 1957 |
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| Jiving Juniors | Co-founded The Jiving Juniors in 1958, with hits including Lollipop Girl and Over the River |
| Solo Career | Went solo in the 1960s with hits including I Care, What Can I Do, The Jerk and I'm Only Human |
| Record Label | Founded the Crystal label, launched in 1962 |
| Production | Produced albums for DJ Scotty, Dennis Brown and others; named Top Producer of 1970 by Swing magazine in 1971 |
| UK Success | Achieved significant success in the United Kingdom in the late 1960s and early 1970s through Trojan Records' Song Bird and Explosion labels |
| Dub Work | Worked with King Tubby at his Waterhouse studio, including the 1974 dub album Scrub A Dub |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Harriott's band The Crystalites released The Undertaker, an instrumental album influenced by spaghetti western film scores. | |
| 2. He performed at the Legends of Ska festival in Toronto in July 2002. | |
| 3. Harriott ran the Derrick Harriott Music Store, which continued to operate under his name in St Andrew, Jamaica, until his death. |
