Horace Andy

Biography

Horace Andy, born Horace Keith Hinds on February 19, 1951, in Kingston, Jamaica, is a legendary roots reggae singer and songwriter renowned for his distinctive, soulful vocals often described as the 'sweetest voice in reggae music.' He began his recording career in 1967 at age 16 with producer Phil Pratt, recording his first single 'This Is a Black Man's Country,' which failed to gain traction. His breakthrough came in 1970 when he auditioned for the renowned Jamaican producer Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd at Studio One. Dodd gave him the stage name 'Horace Andy' as a tribute to Bob Andy of the Paragons, helping to distinguish him from his already-successful cousin Justin Hinds. At Studio One, Andy recorded several influential tracks including 'See A Man's Face,' 'Mr. Bassie,' and most significantly, 'Skylarking,' which became his signature song and topped the Jamaican charts with its message encouraging wayward youth to reform.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Andy established himself as a key figure in reggae's evolution, particularly in the development of dancehall reggae. His 1978 album 'Pure Ranking' anticipated the rise of dancehall, while his 1982 album 'Dance Hall Style' on the Bullwackie's label cemented his influence on the genre. Andy's career reached international prominence in 1990 when he began collaborating with Bristol-based trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack, a partnership that would define the latter portion of his career. He contributed to all five of Massive Attack's studio albums, most notably performing on their 1998 album 'Mezzanine,' where he sang on five tracks including the iconic 'Angel' (a new version of 'You Are My Angel'). His work with Massive Attack exposed him to younger, global audiences and demonstrated his remarkable versatility across musical genres.

Beyond his Massive Attack collaborations, Andy has maintained a prolific recording career spanning over five decades. He worked with producer Mad Professor in the mid-1990s, releasing albums such as 'Life Is for Living' and 'Roots and Branches,' and continued recording solo material including 'Living in the Flood' (1999) and 'Mek It Bun' (2002). He also appeared on the world music project '1 Giant Leap' and the Easy Star All-Stars' 2006 reggae reinterpretation album 'Radiodread.' Known by the nickname 'Sleepy,' Andy has remained a respected and influential figure across multiple reggae subgenres including roots reggae, rocksteady, lover's rock, and dancehall, consistently performing and recording around the world while maintaining his artistic integrity and spiritual principles.

Fun Facts

• Andy is also known by the nickname 'Sleepy,' which has followed him throughout his career
• His breakthrough hit 'Skylarking' was a socially conscious song that encouraged wayward youth to reform and clean up their act, demonstrating his commitment to using music for social commentary
• Coxsone Dodd gave him the stage name 'Horace Andy' partly as a tribute to Bob Andy of the Paragons, helping to distinguish him from his already-successful cousin Justin Hinds
• Despite recording his first single in 1967 at just 16 years old, Andy did not achieve significant success until three years later when he auditioned for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Phil Pratt - Producer who worked with Andy on his first single and early recordings (This Is a Black Man's Country (1967)) [1967]
• Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd - Renowned Jamaican producer who discovered Andy at Studio One, gave him his stage name, and produced his breakthrough hits (Got To Be Sure, See A Man's Face, Mr. Bassie, Skylarking) [1970-1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Massive Attack - Bristol-based trip-hop band that collaborated with Andy extensively, citing his work as a major influence; Andy contributed to all five of their studio albums (Blue Lines (1991), Mezzanine (1998), Heligoland (2010), and other albums) [1990-2010s]
• Mad Professor - Producer and collaborator on reggae and dub projects (Life Is for Living, Roots and Branches) [mid-1990s]
• Easy Star All-Stars - World music project featuring Andy (Radiodread (2006)) [2006]
• 1 Giant Leap - World music project collaboration (1 Giant Leap project) [1990s-2000s]

Artists Influenced

• Massive Attack - The trip-hop band explicitly cited Andy's reggae work as a major influence on their sound and sought him out for collaborations (All five studio albums featuring Andy's vocals) [1990 onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Angel (Mezzanine)
2. Angel - Remastered 2019 (Mezzanine (Deluxe))
3. Man Next Door (Mezzanine)
4. Girl I Love You (Heligoland)
5. Angel - Radio Edit
6. Angel - Remastered 2006
7. Splitting The Atom (Heligoland)
8. (Exchange) (Mezzanine)
9. Skylarking
10. Five Man Army - 2012 Mix/Master (Blue Lines (2012 Mix/Master))

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #dub, #electronica, #reggae