Prince Alla,Junior Ross

Biography

Prince Alla, born Keith Lorenzo Blake on May 10, 1950, in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, is a pioneering roots reggae singer who helped establish the foundation for roots reggae music globally. Raised in Greenwich Town, Kingston, Blake began his musical career in the late 1960s as a member of the vocal group The Leaders alongside Milton Henry and Roy "Soft" Palmer, recording rocksteady tracks for producer Joe Gibbs at Federal Recording Company. His early career was interrupted when he embraced the Rastafari movement deeply, spending significant time at Prince Emmanuel Edwards' Bobo Hill camp in Bull Bay during the late 1960s and early 1970s, where he lived according to strict Rastafarian principles and withdrew from the music industry.

Prince Alla re-emerged into the music scene in the mid-1970s as a committed roots reggae artist, recording some of his most influential and spiritually grounded works with producer Bertram Brown's Freedom Sounds label and Tappa Zukie's Stars label. His classic recordings from this period—including "Sun Is Shining," "Bucket Bottom," "Lot's Wife," and "Stone" (mixed by the legendary King Tubby)—became regarded as roots reggae standards, characterized by their incorporation of Old Testament biblical narratives placed within contexts of social injustice in Jamaica and the world. Dubbed "The Gentle Giant" for his warm and irrepressible character, Prince Alla maintained a humble lifestyle in West Kingston while continuing to record and perform internationally throughout subsequent decades.

In the early 2000s, Prince Alla experienced a significant resurgence in popularity as new generations of reggae enthusiasts discovered his music through reissued classic albums. He became recognized as a pioneering figure in roots reggae, continuing to tour internationally at festivals and concerts while recording for UK and European dub-reggae producers who appreciated his strictly roots and culture approach. His career, spanning from the late 1960s to the present, demonstrates his enduring commitment to authentic roots reggae music and Rastafarian spirituality.

Fun Facts

• Prince Alla is nicknamed "The Gentle Giant," a contrast to the anguished, dread-serious biblical tones of his records, reflecting his warm and irrepressible personality despite his spiritually intense music.
• Joe Gibbs, who became one of reggae's most important producers, initially wanted to join The Leaders as a singer but was redirected to production when the group members realized he couldn't sing, leading to his legendary career as a producer.
• Prince Alla spent formative years at Prince Emmanuel Edwards' Bobo Hill camp in Bull Bay, where he lived according to strict Rastafarian principles and abstained from playing reggae music during his spiritual retreat from the music industry.
• Despite achieving recognition as a pioneering roots reggae figure and touring internationally, Prince Alla has maintained a humble lifestyle in West Kingston since his youth, living in the same area where he grew up.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Joe Gibbs - Early producer who discovered Prince Alla singing with The Leaders in Greenwich Town and founded the group, producing their first recordings (The Leaders' early rocksteady recordings at Federal Recording Company) [Late 1960s]
• Prince Emmanuel Edwards - Spiritual mentor at Bobo Hill camp in Bull Bay where Prince Alla spent formative years learning and embodying Rastafari livity (Spiritual guidance and Rastafarian teachings) [Late 1960s-early 1970s]
• Earl Chinna Smith - Encouraged Prince Alla to return to music after his time at the Bobo camp, instrumental in his comeback to the reggae scene (First Freedom Sounds recordings) [Mid-1970s]
• Bertram Brown - Long-time friend and founder of Freedom Sounds label who provided the platform for Prince Alla's most fervent and impactful roots reggae works (Freedom Sounds recordings including "City Without Pity," "Bucket Bottom," and "Stone") [Mid-1970s onward]

Key Collaborators

• Milton Henry - Co-founder and member of The Leaders vocal group with Prince Alla (The Leaders group recordings) [Late 1960s]
• Roy "Soft" Palmer - Co-founder and member of The Leaders vocal group, continued collaborating with Prince Alla after The Leaders disbanded (The Leaders recordings; subsequent recordings with Prince Alla and Frankie Jones) [Late 1960s-early 1970s]
• Frankie Jones - Collaborator and member of vocal group with Prince Alla and Roy Palmer after The Leaders separated (Recordings with Prince Alla and Roy Palmer) [Early 1970s]
• Tappa Zukie - Producer who worked with Prince Alla on multiple recordings and albums (Album "Heaven Is My Roof" and Stars label recordings) [Mid-1970s onward]
• King Tubby - Legendary mixing engineer who mixed Prince Alla's classic track "Stone" ("Stone" (mixing)) [Mid-1970s]
• Junior Ross & The Spears - Vocal group with changing lineup that included Prince Alla at times, alongside Roy Palmer, Frankie Jones, and Leroy King (Junior Ross & The Spears recordings) [Early-mid 1970s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia