BY KEVIN JACKSON—
Observer writer—
Gladston “Noble” Bailey—
Gladston “Noble” Bailey, the force behind East Coast Records, has died. Bailey, who suffered from diabetes, succumbed to complications of the disease on June 19.
He was 58.
Singer Tom Laing, who was a lifelong friend of Noble, remembered him as a good person.
“Noble was a good-hearted youth. He was a very, very good person. Someone who always gave a helping hand to those in need,” said Laing.
They grew up in the Majesty Gardens area of Kingston, which produced artistes such as The Meditations.
“I knew him since 1974 and we grew up as kids and we had a bonafide friendship. The last time I spoke to him was on Father’s Day when he called to wish me a happy Father’s Day,” Laing recalled.
The East Coast label had several hit songs during its heyday in 1996 and 1997. Among the label’s successful projects were the Benz and Bimma and Blackboard rhythms.
Their hits included Girls Way by Beenie Man, Model by Bounty Killer, Man Confuse by Merciless, Funny Guy Ting by Spragga Benz, Blackboard by Beenie Man, Gal A Sweat Mi by Spragga Benz, and Probably You Never Heard by Monster Shack Crew.
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