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Trending in Gregory Issacs’s World
Latest Album
Hold Tight
Released Nov 3, 2015
Trending Globally
No trending songs available.
Story
Quick Facts
Born
1951
1951
From
Jamaica
Jamaica
Journey
Long before he was crowned "The Cool Ruler," Gregory Anthony Isaacs was just a youth in Jamaica chasing a dream through local talent contests. Born into an environment rich with rhythm, he discovered his vocal gifts early in life. This teenage passion drove him straight into a recording studio in 1968, where he cut his very first record under the early name Winston Sinclair, the humble beginning of a journey that would redefine global reggae.
Isaacs soon became the premier voice of "lovers rock," a smooth, romantic subgenre he helped popularize alongside Errol Dunkley with the single "My Only Lover." As his career progressed, his signature, unhurried vocal style led to massive collaborations with reggae giants like Dennis Brown, Beres Hammond, and producer Gussie Clarke. After showcasing his charisma in the reggae film Rockers, Isaacs signed with Island Records and reached international stardom with his legendary album Night Nurse, which earned him a well-deserved Grammy nomination.
Throughout his life, he remained incredibly prolific, releasing timeless projects like “Soon Forward,” and “If I Don't Have You,” across major labels, including his own African Museum imprint. Though Isaacs passed away in 2010, his childhood dreams culminated in the highest praise; in 2016, Jamaica posthumously awarded him the Order of Distinction (Officer Class). From his early days in Jamaican talent shows to international concert stages, his smooth storytelling remains the undisputed gold standard of romantic reggae music.