The Paragons

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Two groups have recorded under the name “The Paragons”.

1) The Paragons was an influential rocksteady band from Kingston, Jamaica, operating in the 1960s.

2) The Paragons was a doo wop group perhaps best known for their 1957 single Florence.

1) If you’re familiar with the song “The Tide Is High” you probably know it as a huge hit for Blondie, but before Deborah Harry and company got a hold of it, it was a 1960s hit in for the Paragons. Formed in Kingston Jamaica, the Paragons were originally made up of Garth “Tyrone” Evans, Bob Andy, Junior Menz, and Leroy Stamp. In 1964, just before they broke big in Jamaica, Stamp was replaced by John Holt, and Menz (who left to join another Jamaican vocal group the Techniques) was replaced by Howard Barret. The early Paragons sound is heavily influence by American soul music and the singing is in the familiar tight, interlocking harmony style of Jamaican vocal trios and quartets of the early ’60s. In 1964, the group caught the attention of legendary producer Coxsone Dodd who immediately brought the group to Jamiaca’s famous Studio One and under the watchful eyes and ears of Duke Reid (who became the group’s mentor) cut a succession of popular singles such as “Love At Last” and “Good Luck and Goodbye” for Reid’s label Treasure Isle.

Not long after this first flush of success Bob Andy quit the group and the Paragons stopped recording as John Holt (who by this point had emerged as the group’s leader) decided that the group should soften their soulful sound and go for a more root-heavy rock steady approach. It turned out to be a good idea as the Paragons became the most popular rock-steady vocal act in Jamaica and in Britain.

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Popular tags: rocksteady, reggae, ska, jamaica, skinhead reggae  See more

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1		The Tide Is High			237
2		On The Beach			134
3		Happy Go Lucky Girl			120
4		Wear You To The Ball			97
5		Only A Smile			57
5		Island In The Sun			57
7		Riding High On A Windy Day			54
8		Florence			52
9		Left With A Broken Heart			45
9		My Best Girl			45
11		The Tide Is High - Original			42
12		When the Lights Are Low			28
13		So Much Pain			25
14		Tide Is High			21
15		Yellow Bird			17

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