AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Peter Tosh

 

Artist:Peter Tosh f/Mick Jagger

Song:(You Better Walk) Don't Look Back

Album:Honorary Citizen

Peter Tosh is one of the all time greats of Jamaican music, first as a member of The Wailers and then as a solo artist. This 1978 single was an attempt to cross him over to pop. And for Mick Jagger fans, it's a discography orphan. But I have that covered too. He was born Winston McIntosh Oct. 19, 1944 in Grange Hill, Jamaica. After his parents abandoned him, Tosh was raised by his aunt. After she died, Tosh moved to Trenchtown and learned to play guitar. Then he met Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer in 1962 and they started singing together as The Wailers. Of course later on Marley broke out as a solo act especially after The Wailers signed with Island Records in 1972. After Tosh suffered a fractured skull in a 1973 car accident, he left The Wailers after Island president Chris Blackwell refused to release Tosh's solo album. Tosh signed with Columbia Records and released the 1977 album Equal Rights. The Rolling Stones liked it so much they made a deal with Columbia to release Tosh's albums on Rolling Stones Records. Tosh remained on the label for the rest of his career. Tosh also opened for them on tour. The idea behind the 1978 album Bush Doctor was to cross Tosh over to mainstream. Bassist Robbie Shakespeare and drummer Sly Dunbar produced along with Tosh and Jagger & Richards (The Glimmer Twins). Sly & Robbie were in Tosh's band. Tosh wrote all the songs except for this cover of The Temptations classic Don't Look Back. Jagger thought if he appeared on it, the record would be a big hit. It charted but the record was not a hit. They even did a video. Luther Francois of the Martinique based group Taxi Kreol played the sax solo. The Wailers recorded Don't Look Back in 1966. You can get this on this 3CD Tosh box set available at a reasonable price. Jagger fans can get it on The Best of Mick Jagger CD. Of course Tosh would have continued to delight us for many years. But on Sept. 11, 1987, three thugs invaded Tosh's home and attempted to rob him. And when Tosh didn't have any money, they opened fire and Tosh was dead at age 42. The main thug is still in jail. Here's the video for (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back by Peter Tosh featuring Mick Jagger.