Mittwoch, 9. September 2015

Blue Bells

Singer - Songwriter - Producer and Label Owner

"How i got my name? In 1969 Mickey ZapPow Williams saw me performing on stage. At that time 
we use to wear white and blue outfits sometimes. After the show he would come around and call me
Blue Bells, he said: 'You sing like bells chiming' and that name stuck from ever since."


Blue Bells is Hector Wright, born in South Manchester, Jamaica in 1947. His parents were Icilda
and Rodrick Wright, Sisters Lotty and Gartel, Brothers Albert, Sam, John, Cutbert and Lenbert.
Hector grew up in Kingston 12 Trenchtown and Kingston 13 Maxfield Avenue and attended the
Kingston Technical High School. His earlier years were spent in the Patrick Town area.
His musical career started in 1969 when he was singing at the Kitty Kat Club on 5 Maxfield Ave. 
in Kingston 13 and the Bohemian Night Club between Hagley Park Plaza and Hagley Park Road, 
where he was the resident lead vocalist for many years.



He started recording at Dynamic Studio in 1972. His first productions were "All Dem Gal" and 
"I Believe", and were financed by his cousin Constantine Byrd, then released on Blue Bells’ own 
"Premier" label. Blue Bells then went on to Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio, where he met the 
legendary Alton Ellis, Brent Dowe and the Melodians, Lloyd Parks and We The People Band 
and others who were influential in his early development as a recording artist.  He did back up 
singing for many of the Treasure Isle artists, for example on Alton Ellis’ "Why Birds Follow Spring" 
and the Melodians’ "Heartaches."



Then around 1975 Blue Bells moved on to produce and record a couple of songs at Lee Perry's
Black Ark Studio, with the Gladiators as the backing band, and including Ansel Collins, Bobby 
Kalphat, Augustus Pablo, and Sticky Thompson, with Lee Perry as engineer. These were the 
songs that made Blue Bells the icon that he is today. His best known song is "Come Along,”
which was released in the UK, Jamaica and USA at the time. Another Upsetter song, “Call me
Teacher,” wasn't released until 1978 on GG Ranglin's Typhoon label and became a number one
hit in Jamaica.





In 1979 Blue Bells was signed to Sonic Sounds Studio by Neville Lee, owner of the studio and 
producer. Hector did songs like "My Ebony Eyes" and "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do." In 1980
Blue Bells became a member of Sir Coxson's Studio One camp, where he recorded a few songs,
none of which got released. From 1981 to 1997 he did a couple of recordings for Dennis Star 
Production and for Clancy Eccles. 




In early 2000 Blue Bells was joined by his son Chubby D, (Dean Wright), born March 23rd
1972.  They did songs such as "Sugar Candy," "Rude Boys Can't Bun Mi Weed" and "Why Did
You Leave." These tracks came out on their independent Black Stallion label along with their 
debut album "You, Me And Jah."

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