Phyllis Dillon
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Phyllis Dillon (1 January 1948 — 15 April 2004) was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer who recorded for Duke Reid’s lucrative Treasure Isle record label in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Dillon was born in 1948 in Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica.[1] Influenced by American singers Connie Francis, Patti Page and Dionne Warwick, she began singing in talent contests. It was during a performance at the Glass Bucket Club in Kingston, Jamaica with the group The Vulcans, that Duke Reid’s session guitarist Lynn Taitt discovered Dillon.[1]
Dillon was 19 when she recorded her first record for Duke Reid. In 1967, Reid released Dillon’s “Don’t Stay Away”. While most of Dillon’s subsequent recordings would be covers of popular and obscure American songs including Bettye Swann’s “Make Me Yours”, Perry Como’s “Tulips and Heather,” The Grass Roots “Midnight Confessions”, and Stephen Stills’s “Love the One You’re With”; “Don’t Stay Away” was an original composition featuring Tommy McCook and the Supersonics as the backing band.
Another original song, “It’s Rocking Time” would later be turned into the Alton Ellis’ hit “Rocksteady”. While these early recordings demonstrate Dillon’s mastery of the rocksteady sound, a much slower, soulful, response to the sultry weather that made ska’s upbeat rhythm and tempo undesirable even impracticable, it was no indication of her greatest performance, 1967’s “Perfidia”. Popularized by the American surf rock band The Ventures, “Perfidia” is a 1940 song written by Alberto Domínguez and made popular by the Cuban bandleader, Xavier Cugat.
Dillon was born in 1948 in Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica.[1] Influenced by American singers Connie Francis, Patti Page and Dionne Warwick, she began singing in talent contests. It was during a performance at the Glass Bucket Club in Kingston, Jamaica with the group The Vulcans, that Duke Reid’s session guitarist Lynn Taitt discovered Dillon.[1]
Dillon was 19 when she recorded her first record for Duke Reid. In 1967, Reid released Dillon’s “Don’t Stay Away”. While most of Dillon’s subsequent recordings would be covers of popular and obscure American songs including Bettye Swann’s “Make Me Yours”, Perry Como’s “Tulips and Heather,” The Grass Roots “Midnight Confessions”, and Stephen Stills’s “Love the One You’re With”; “Don’t Stay Away” was an original composition featuring Tommy McCook and the Supersonics as the backing band.
Another original song, “It’s Rocking Time” would later be turned into the Alton Ellis’ hit “Rocksteady”. While these early recordings demonstrate Dillon’s mastery of the rocksteady sound, a much slower, soulful, response to the sultry weather that made ska’s upbeat rhythm and tempo undesirable even impracticable, it was no indication of her greatest performance, 1967’s “Perfidia”. Popularized by the American surf rock band The Ventures, “Perfidia” is a 1940 song written by Alberto Domínguez and made popular by the Cuban bandleader, Xavier Cugat.
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One Life to Live
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Mutanterrr wrote:
awesome
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Sidinost wrote:
I already fall in love!
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Endostar wrote:
her voice is so heartwarming. i could fall in love [2]
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Metaru_Srug wrote:
her voice is so heartwarming. i could fall in love
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GrindCrusherrr wrote:
Excellent performer!
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ashleyrobb wrote:
http://www.last.fm/music/Phyllis+Dillon/+images/42043267 hahaaa can anyone tell me whats goin on in this photo?
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SKINIKS69 wrote:
so adorable voice and melodies, you must to fall in love!
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willywonka091 wrote:
this is some of the best 60's ska i've heard! "don't stay away" is incredible. all of her songs have really catchy aspects and she's got a hold on me.
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strawberryffuck wrote:
very good music!
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JustRomantic wrote:
я сажусь на свой синий диван и кайфую с неё
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Nochek wrote:
rasta-lady! :)
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funguysmall wrote:
nice feeling to this track
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ska5446was wrote:
nunka dejare d escuchar estas canciones las amo
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marcelodylan wrote:
DOO DOO DOO DOOO DOOOOO REMEMBER THAT
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DANCEdrinkDReAm wrote:
Beautiful Voice
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X80sSkin wrote:
Jamaica's Queen. "Woman of the Ghetto" is absolutely one of the greatest reggae songs ever.
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pink_kitty23 wrote:
I love Phyllis Dillon, she was there when i was going through a bad time, It hurt to listen to her but it also got me through it.....
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KooL_DudE_HaMeR wrote:
this is it...
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besto76 wrote:
nice song
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jennifunk_ wrote:
*Queen Of Rock Steady;♥
Videos
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Close To You
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Love Was All I Had
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"Don't stay away" at The…
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Phyllis Dillon - Perfidia
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Recent Activity
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princeKropotkin tagged Phyllis Dillon with jamaican soul, rocksteady and jamaican. 11 days ago
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maada25, passen, aakhnoukh and 26 other people added Phyllis Dillon to their libraries. 11 days ago
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msDyonamite tagged Phyllis Dillon with 60s, ska, reggae and one other tag. November 2011
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macabeacestmoi, willywoonka, IndustriallHead and 8 other people added Phyllis Dillon to their libraries. November 2011
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SeedOfJoy tagged Phyllis Dillon with ‘rocksteady’. November 2011
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SpaceInvader17, edmay44, francezco076 and 7 other people added Phyllis Dillon to their libraries. November 2011
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sigmagalator tagged Phyllis Dillon with ‘jamaican’. October 2011
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MarietjeAPG, SkubaDope and mustang70V8 added Phyllis Dillon to their libraries. October 2011
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darronDeath tagged Phyllis Dillon with ‘all’. October 2011
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darronDeath, cankuris, LITTLLEPEE and 3 other people added Phyllis Dillon to their libraries. October 2011
Groups (13)
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Treasure Isle
55 members
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Jamaican Rocksteady
506 members
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Skinhead Dancefloor
243 members
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Great Black Music
1,203 members
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Funk Reggae and Soul
1,023 members
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