Clancy Eccles

by Richie UnterbergerThough not nearly as well known as Duke Reid or Coxsone Dodd, producer and sometime vocalist Clancy Eccles made a lot of rocksteady in the late 60s and early 70s, much of it on his Clandisc label. As a singer, Eccles had started recording back in the late 50s, when he cut some ska for Dodd. After bouncing around the ska and early reggae scene for a while, he became more active in the studio in the late 60s, overseeing tracks by Alton Ellis, Joe Higgs, Beres Hammond, and several less-famed artists. Not as distinctive as the works of Reid or Dodd, Eccles oeuvre nonetheless included some solid and enjoyable material that contributed to the peak of the rocksteady movement. The record label he started in 1967, Clandisc Records, helped pave the way for greater recording independence for Jamaican musicians. Perhaps his greatest achievement took place outside of the studio: in the early 70s, he organized a traveling stage show to contribute to the successful campaign of Jamaican socialist politician Michael Manley. Clancy Eccles passed away in 2005 at the age of 64, leaving behind a legacy of fine recordings both as a singer and as a producer.