Jamaican music has produced a number of outstanding vocalists — John Holt, Slim Smith, Horace Andy, Dennis Brown and Beres Hammond are some of them. Cedric Myton maybe the most unique.
Best known as lead singer of roots-reggae group The Congos, Myton’s distinct tenor has helped make songs like Row Fisherman, classics.
He is still active at 74 years-old. His latest album, Reggae On Top, was released in May by Montego Records.
Myton recorded the nine-song set with producer Alphanso Henclewood in late 2020 in Kingston with top session musicians such as guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith and bassist Chris Meredith.
Henclewood first met Myton during the early 1970’s when he (Myton) was a member of The Royal Rasses, a group famous for the song Humanity, which was covered by John Legend.
“He has a unique voice, stamina and a great message. Cedric is a great singer and artist,” said Henclewood.
Cedric Myton is from the Old Harbour Bay region of Jamaica in rural St. Catherine parish, Jamaica. He began his career in the mid-1960’s as a member of The Tartans, a trio which had a hit song with Dance All Night.
After leaving The Tartans, he had a three-year run with The Royal Rasses. He next joined The Congos; along with Ashanti Roy, they recorded Heart of The Congos, a seminal 1977 album produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry.
In recent years, Myton has toured the world to promote Inna de Yard: The Soul of Jamaica, a documentary by Academy Award-winning director Peter Webber that had its world premier in April-May, 2019 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
It has won rave reviews at other major film festivals in Sydney, the United Kingdom, France and South Korea.
Inna de Yard: The Soul of Jamaica is built around interviews and the music of Myton, and fellow veteran singers Kiddus I, Winston McAnuff, Ken Boothe and Judy Mowatt.
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