Over a decades-long career,
Johnny Osbourne moved from soulful reggae to a massive dancehall catalog. His warm voice filled with conviction and yearning, he's one of the island's best, especially on standards like "Ice Cream Love," "Water Pumping," and countless rub-a-dub singles.
Osbourne debuted in 1969 as lead vocalist of the Wildcats, recording a session at
Coxsone Dodd's Studio One that spawned his debut single, "All I Have Is Love." After recording 1969's Come Back Darling (as leader of the vocal group aptly named the Sensations), he emigrated to Toronto, where he became lead vocalist for a group called Ishan People, and recorded two albums with them before returning to Jamaica in 1979. Shortly after returning, he recorded "Forgive Them" and "Jealousy, Heartache and Pain" as well as the stunning album, Truths and Rights. Between 1980 and 1982, a glut of material was released, including Fally Lover, Warrior, Innah Disco Style, and
Never Stop Fighting. He scored a string of hits through the 80s, including "Water Pumping," "Good Time Rock," and "Rude Boy Skank," the latter pair from the
Bobby Digital production
Rougher Than Them (1989).