King Tubby

Born January 28th 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica, King Tubby is known primarily for his influence on the development of dub in the 1960s through an error of the Baron. His diploma of electronics in the bag, he opened a small store in the family backyard where he repaired electronic material (like Joe Gibbs, Alvin Ranglin or artist 218014). Overwhelmed by the work, he was seconded by "Barry", very gifted to make big loudspeakers like the Hercules of artist 726445. In 1958, he started the Tubby's Home Town Hi Fi in Waterhouse, where he was quickly crowned "King", and one of the best sound systems on the island at the end of the 60s. Accompanied by the DeeJay U-Roy, Tubby soon became helpful at most of the sound systems around.

Tubby began working with Arthur "Duke" Reid in 1968. At Treasure Isle studio, Tubby began making remixes of hit songs, usually by simply removing the vocals. In time, Tubby (and others) began shifting the emphasis in the instrumentals, adding sounds, removing others, and adding various special effects, like echoes, feedback and filtering. Tubby's sound system was destroyed by police in 1975. He had opened a studio of his own in 1971, and gradually equipped it with different second-hand equipment, such as a two-track console and an acetate engraving machine, which allowed him to provide several songs on dubplates. His remixes soon proved enormously popular, and he became one of the biggest celebrities in Jamaica.

During the 1970s, Tubby's work in the studio gave rise to modern dub music. He had a long string of hit songs, and worked as a producer & engineer for some of Jamaica's most popular artists, including Lee Perry, Augustus "Gussie" Clarke, Rupie Edwards, Carlton Patterson, Niney The Observer, Glen Brown, artist 646441, Bertram Brown, Augustus Pablo, Yabby You, and most of all Bunny Lee, for whom he made almost all the B-sides from 1974 to 1977 (with the The Aggrovators). It is thanks to Bunny Lee that he acquired a four-track MCI console. In 1973, he had begun recording vocals to put along the instrumentals. By the latter part of the decade, King Tubby had mostly retired from recording music, but still occasionally recorded remixes, and tutored a new generation of artists, including Philip Smart (his very first pupil, since 1969), Pat Kelly (1974), King Jammy (who became the official sound engineer in 1975), as well as Errol Thompson and Hopeton Brown aka Scientist in 1980.

In the 1980s, Tubby focused on production for Anthony Red Rose, Sugar Minott and other popular musicians, for his Firehouse group of labels. He was shot and killed by unknown persons, probably in a robbery attempt, in 1989 (February 6th).

Brother of Lloyd Ruddock. Father of Arleen Ruddock. See also King Tubby's All Star.