Bobby Dixon a.k.a. “Bobby Digital” passed away in May of 2020 and it’s another great loss for Jamaican music. Not yet reaching the age of sixty, Bobby Digital was young and equipped with both talent and work ethic, and would surely have continued to produce exceptional Jamaican music. Bobby Digital grew up on Waterhouse and as a youth attended dances by Stur Grav and Socialist Roots Sound Systems. He began his impact on the music of Jamaica repairing equipment as an electronics technician. He soon moved into sound system work with Heatwave sound, and next in 1983-1984 as a dub cutter and engineer for King Jammy$. While with Jammy$, Bobby Digital even recorded to disc – impromptu artist performances live on the mic. In 1984, an important development in Jamaican music was to transform Bobby Digital’s career. This development took the form of Noel Davey’s “Sleng Teng” riddim, exploding with lyrics. The “Sleng Teng” riddim was a marking point where digital music began to surge from Jamaican recording studios. In 1988, Bobby Digital began to produce music in Jamaica and then opened a small recording studio that was situated at Rons Road in the Hughenden area of Kingston. Although the studio was small, the sound was big, bold, and crisp and Bobby Digital maintained this same studio throughout his career – working with loyal colleagues like Spragga Roots. At Digital-B Recording Studio, thousands of tracks were recorded that hit the charts, rocked the dance halls, and earned Grammy awards. Generations of artists grew out of Digital-B from the 1980’s, the 1990’s, and into the first two decades of the twenty first century. Bobby Digital introduced new artists to Jamaica like Shabba Ranks and garnet Silk and raised the bar on existing artists like Sanchez D and Cocoa Tea. The musical output includes, “Dem Bow” and “Peanie Peanie” by Shabba Ranks, “Black Woman and Child” by Sizzla, the “It’s Growing” album by Garnet Silk, and the “Kette Drum” riddim. The following is a selected discography of Bobby Dixon productions. Singles Selections Bobby Digital – Digital-B 7” Singles: Risto Benji – Girls Kid – Digital-B 7” - Shabba Ranks – Paid Down For It – Digital-B 7” – 1989 Daddy Screw – Love Yuh Till Mi Fool – Digital-B 7” – 1993 Bryan & Tony Gold – On and On– Digital-B 7” – 1989 Leroy Smart – 100% Love– Digital-B 7” – 1992 Luciano – Get Down On It– Digital-B 7” – 2003 Gregory Isaacs - Yesterday– Digital-B 7” – (no date listed) Derrick Parker – My Heart Is Gone– Digital-B 7” – 1989 Marcia Griffiths & Morgan Heritage– Digital-B 7” – 2000 Dean Frazier - Saxdelero– Digital-B 7” - 1991 Gregory Isaacs and John Holt – Body language – Digital-B – (Gregory careful with his singing) Gregory Isaacs – Wailing Rudie – Digital-B (Poor “Johnny” - a man with a wrong path in life or pathetic quality, which was a reoccurring Isaacs song writing pattern) Sanchez D – Give It A Chance – Digital-B – 1990 Jimmy Riley – Chat Chat – Digital-B – 1992 Jimmy Riley & Anthony Red Rose – Changes In Life– Digital-B – 1992 Red Dragon – Cock It Up High – Digital-B – 1993 Ninjaman – Number One – Digital-B -1990 Ninjaman – Fulfillment – Digital-B – 1990 Ninjaman & Gregory – Cowboy Town – Digital-B – 1991 Gregory Isaacs – Lead Me – Digital-B – 1992 Shabba Ranks – Hot Like Fire – Digital-B – 1988 Shabba Ranks – Just Reality – Digital-B- 1990 Shaka Shamba – Reggae Fight – Digital-B – 1991 Lady G & Sugar Minott – Love Yu Fi True – Digital-B- 1992 Clement Irie – Know How Fi Walk – Digital-B- Louie Culture – In A Yu Waist – Digital-B – 1993 Shabba Ranks & Leslie Thunder – What Can You Do– Digital-B – Shabba Ranks – Hard & Stiff– Digital-B- 1990 Shabba Ranks & Morgan Heritage – Dem A Bawl – Digital-B- Ninjaman – Glad Mi Release – Digital-B- 1987 Ninja Ford – Step Aside – Digital-B – 1992 Ninja Ford – Boast -– Digital-B – 1993 Johnny Osbourne – Roots Man Come – Digital-B – 1989 Johnny Osbourne & Chaka Demus – Few Dollars More – Digital-B Sanchez – Player Hater – Digital-B – 2004 Spanner Banner – Mary Brown - – Digital-B – 1990 Ian Sweetness – Give Them A Hand – Digital-B – 1991 Daddy Screw – Sweet Type of Lover – Digital-B – 1993 Ricky Stereo – Original Lover Boy – Digital-B Tony Rebel – Sweet Jamaica – Digital-B - 1991 Shabba Ranks – When You’re Up - Digital-B - Shabba Ranks – Gal You Good - Digital-B - 1990 Shabba Ranks – Dem Bow - Digital-B - 1990 (link to Reggaeton style) Dem Bow – B-side version with vocals Power Man – Statue - Digital-B – 1993 Cocoa Tea – Lonesome Side - Digital-B - 1987 (with cock crow in riddim) Wayne Wonder – Someone To Hold - Digital-B - 1993 Sanchez D – Unchained - Digital-B - 1992 Singing Melody – Groovy Kind of Love - Digital-B *Anthony B - Raid The Barn - Yami Bolo – Hot Stepping - Digital-B - 1993 Morgan Heritage – Blackman’s Paradise - Digital-B Garnet Silk – Splashing Dashing - Digital-B - 1994 Singing Melody – In This Love Together - Digital-B - 1989 Josey Wales – How Yu Mouth Tan So - Digital-B Tiger & Anthony Malvo – How Do You Do - Digital-B Cobra – Tek Him - Digital-B – 1991 Thriller U – Ribbon In The Sky - Digital-B - 1990 Wayne Wonder – When I’m With You – Digital-B - 1991 Digital-B 12” Singles: Shabba Ranks – Girls Wine – Digital-B 12” – Johnny P – Winery – Digital-B 12” – Digital-B 12” – Penny Irie – Condem – Digital-B 12” – Buju Banton – Good Looking Gal – Digital-B 12” – (1993 Promo 12”) Daddy Blue - Video – Digital-B 12” – (with “Digital Crew”) Shabba Ranks & Thriller U – Real Real – Digital-B 12” – Bunny General – Me A Beg Oonuh – Digital-B 12” – Courtney Melody – Live My Life Alone – Digital-B 12” - Coco Tea & Johnny P – Come Love Me – Digital-B 12” Daddy Lizard - Inaculator – Digital-B 12” – Sugar Minott & Anthony Malvo – Can’t Control The Feeling – Digital-B 12” – Ninjaman – Things A Gwan – Digital-B 12” – Ninjaman – Test The High Power – Digital-B 12” – Ruddy Thomas – I’m The One – Digital-B 12” – Cobra – Mate Ha Fi Move – Digital-B 12” – (VP Records collaboration) Shabba Ranks – Are You Sure – Digital-B 12” – Dirtsman – Trailer Load Come – Digital-B 12” – (*Most of the 12” releases are collaborations with Steelie & Clevie). Shabba Ranks - Hood Top – Digital-B 12” – 1992 Josey Wales – Every Man Tun Ginal– Digital-B 12” – 1989 Joesy Wales – Chanty Chanty – Digital-B 12” –1995 Rich Lowe www.reggaejamaicaway.com 2020
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