The Skatalites

Tommy McCook, Rolando Alphonso, Johnny Moore, Lester Sterling, Don Drummond, Lloyd Knibb, Lloyd Brevett, Jerry Haynes, and Jackie Mittoo began working together in 1963 and formed The Ska-talites in May 1964. McCook, Drummond, Moore and Sterling were all students at the famed label 528229 in Kingston.

In August 1965 The Skatalites played their last show after Don Drummond's confinement to Bellvue Hospital for the murder of his girlfriend, artist 399652. The break-up resulted in the formation of two studio bands, The Soul Brothers and Tommy McCook & The Supersonics.

The band reformed in 1983 remains active as of 2026. Despite the departure and / or death, one by one, of the all original members, singer Doreen Shaffer, who sang with the group in the 1960s, and a group of younger and older musicians continue to record and perform as The Skatalites.