Tribute to Roy Shirley - The High Priest of Reggae
A Memorial
Celebration of King
Roy Shirley’s life
will be held on
August 30th from 9
pm at the
Silent Whispers
Musicians Club
21-23 Sedgwick
Street (opp. Fire
Station) Homerton,
Hackney E9. Entrance
£10.00 includes
food.
Live acts will
include Derrick
Morgan, Winston
Francis, Owen Grey,
Michael Prophet,
Anthony Johnson,
Sylvia Tella, Earl
16, Winston Reedy,
Dennis Alcapone,
Lloyd Brown, Mikey
Brooks, AJ Franklyn,
etc.
Roy Shirley,
perhaps the most theatrical
singer ever to grace a reggae
stage show, died of a heart
attack earlier this month.
His massive
hit of 1967 "Hold Them" is not
only credited as being the very
first rock steady vocal track,
it was also the first recording
ever funded by legendary
producer Joe Gibbs. Prior
to that, Roy Shirley had formed
the vocal group the Leaders with
Ken Boothe, Joe White and Chuck
Josephs (aka Chuck Berry
Junior), as well as being a
founding member of The Uniques
alongside Slim Smith and
Franklyn White.
He had so many enduring reggae
hits, he was often referred to
as "The High Priest of Reggae."
A mere two
weeks earlier, Mr. Shirley,
backed by LA ska revival
specialists The Expanders, had
performed a musical set that
brought down the curtain of the
15th annual Sierra Nevada World
Music Festival. Following his
unforgettable performance, Roy
Shirley was interviewed at KZYX,
local NPR affiliate radio
station who also simulcast much
of the festival including Mr.
Shirley's set.
In memory of Mr. Shirley, we are
proud to present to you some
photographs of his performance
at SNWMF along with his final
interview and a video of the
song (appropriately titled)
"Thank You".
Roy Shirley
Burial Fund
Roy
Shirley's family
have confirmed the
following account
information for
people wanting to
make donations to
contribute towards
Roy's burial:
The account is held
with Halifax
(a division of the
Bank of Scotland),
Bank sort code:
11-17-04
Account number
00023457
Account name:
Queen Irie Rushton
(Roy's daughter)
For your
information, the
plan is for Roy's
body to be returned
to Jamaica, where
the Jamaican
Association of
Veteran Artists
(JAVA) will arrange
his burial, so the
donations will go
towards the cost of
returning his
remains to Jamaica.
If they are not able
to secure enough
funds to return his
remains to Jamaica,
then the donations
will go towards the
cost of burying him
in the UK.
