Song:Step Softly
Album:Rebel Music: A Reggae Anthology
In the 60s, trumpeter Bobby Ellis was a studio musician and arranger first for Studio One and then for Jamaican music pioneer Derrick Harriott. In the 70, he was a member of Burning Spear. He also recorded occasional instrumental singles like Step Softly in 1967. So he was an important figure in the development of Rocksteady. He was born July 2, 1932 in Kingston, Jamaica. He learned to play trumpet while attending Alpha Boys School. Many musicians trained there. Sax player "Deadley" Headley Bennett told Ellis that Studio One owner Coxsone Dodd was looking for a trumpet player. He was a member of the Studio One house band The Mighty Vikings which also included Headley and Desmond Miles. Derrick Harriott started Crystal Records in 1967 and Ellis and Miles became part of the house band. Step Softly was Ellis' first single in 1967. And of course he backed up Harriott as well. You can get Step Softly on this various artist comp that was first released in 1979 and released by Trojan on CD in 2002. In the 70s, Ellis was a member of the popular group Burning Spear for ten years. He also recorded with Tommy McCook and Bunny Wailer. The 70s was probably the prime of his career. Ellis continued studio work until his death from pneumonia on Oct. 18, 2016 at age 84. Jamaica gave the Order of Distinction to Bobby Ellis in 2014. Here's a video for Step Softly by Bobby Ellis and the Desmond Miles Seven.
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