Keble Drummond—

In early 1967, an American-Canadian rock band named Buffalo Springfield entered the Billboard chart with their anti-war song named For What it’s Worth.

Renamed Watch This Sound, a rocksteady version was also a big hit that year for Jamaican group, the Uniques.

The Uniques - left to right: Lloyd Charmers/Slim Smith/Jimmy Riley
The Uniques – left to right: Lloyd Charmers/Slim Smith/Jimmy Riley

At the time, singer Keble Drummond was a member of the Cables, a harmony trio at producer Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd’s Studio One.Known as Keble Cables, he recently covered the song for Fort Lauderdale independent company, Upstairs Music, and producer Danny Breakenridge.

The 68-year-old Drummond, who lives in South Florida, says he was among the many admirers of Keith ‘Slim’ Smith, the Uniques talented lead singer. He went for a different feel on his version of Watch This Sound.

The Cables in 1968
The Cables in 1968

“From I first heard the Slim Smith version, I fell in love with it. I slowed it down just a little and gave it a Keble Drummond style.”

Produced by Bunny Lee, Watch This Sound was the first song released by the Uniques, which also included a teenaged Jimmy Riley (father of Tarrus).

Drummond was a good friend of the troubled Smith who died in 1973. They even recorded a ‘combination’ called Come On for Lee.

Slim Smith
Slim Smith

His biggest success came in the late 1960’s with the Cables on the massive hit songs What Kind of World and Baby Why.

He migrated to the United States in 1979 and worked with American Airlines for many years.

Keble Drummond
Keble Drummond

In 2013 Drummond released Mellow Moods of Music, his first album.

By Howard Campbell

Shares: