FT. LAUDERDALE – Foundation Splash 2010 scheduled for Saturday, May 22nd will feature a stellar lineup of veteran reggae and rocksteady singers. One of the scheduled performers is Pat Kelly, who is considered one of Jamaica’s leading purveyors of the rocksteady genre.
Pat Kelly was part of the group, The Techniques who recorded covers of soul music such as “You Don’t Care” , “You’ll Want Me Back,” “Minstrel & Queen,” “My Girl” and “Love Is Not A Gamble.” Kelly went solo in 1968, debuting with a Curtis Mayfield song, “Little Boy Blue” and remakes such as “Daddy’s Home,” “I’m in the Mood for Love” and “You Are Not Mine.”
Pat’s solo career lasted less than a year before he rejoined the Techniques, debuting with the remake of the Temptations’ “I Wish It Would Rain,” and other rocksteady ditties accompanied by Hopeton Lewis on some, and Winston Riley on others. In 1969 he decided to go solo again and came out with a reggae version of James Carr’s “Dark End of the Street,” then “Since You’re Gone,” and others including “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.” Kelly bounced around from studio to studio recording some tracks for Bunny Lee and some for Lee Perry.
When reggae changed from romantic love songs to the more contemporary, explicit expressions of younger Jamaicans, Kelly’s career lost its luster.
Foundation Splash is a presentation of the Jamaica Vintage Music Festival and will showcase the journey of music in Jamaica with performances from Freddie McGregor Professor Nuts, Mikey Spice, Kashief Lindo, Lady G and Sister Carol at The Grand Ballroom of Sunrise located at 7100 W Oakland Park Blvd. in Sunrise.
For more information and tickets visit, www.foundationsplash.com
