LEGENDARY SINGER PETER AUSTIN OF THE GROUP, THE CLARENDONIANS, DIES AT 78!

Peter Austin, an original member of The Clarendonians, died in Kingston, Jamaica on July 21 at age 78.
His daughter, Georgia, said he passed away at home. Austin recently performed at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in Booneville, California. 

Along with Ernest Wilson, he comprised The Clarendonians who had a number of hit songs in the 1960s including a cover of The Beatles’ You Won’t See Me, Rudie Gone A Jail and Shoo Be Do Be.
Those songs were produced by Clement Dodd for Studio One where Austin and Wilson went after stints at rival producers Leslie Kong and Duke Reid.

 
The Clarendonians took their name from Clarendon, the rural parish in central Jamaica that produced artists such as Toots Hibbert, Freddie McGregor and Barrington Levy. Early in his career, McGregor was a member of The Clarendonians. Wilson, who had a successful solo career,  died in November, 2021 at age 69.

A new generation of fans discovered The Clarendonians during the 1990s when there was a ska and rock steady music revival in Jamaica thanks to shows like Heineken Startime.