late 1940s:
Campbell was a follower of Tom the Great's sound system; he lead a gang around Luke Lane in the center of Kingston.
Finally Buster started a carreer as a boxer.
Mid-1950s:
Buster started working on Coxsone Dodd's sound system.
1957:
Prince Buster produced his first dub plate and in the same year he started his record shop Prince Buster Record Shack in Charles Street.
1959:
It was the year he started his own sound system, the Voice Of The People, as well as the label of the same name and he renamed his record shop in Charles Street 36.
His first commercial release was a 45 with the Folkes Brothers (Oh Carolina) on his label Buster Wild Bells.
late 1950s:
Prince Buster starts various labels:
- Buster Wild Bells
- Buster Wild Flowers
- Buster's Record Shack
- Olive Blossom
1960:
At
the end of the year, Buster organised recording sessions with Derrick Moragn,
Eric Morris, Jah Jerry, Stanley Ribbs and Lester Sterling ("They Got
To Go", "Humpty Dumpty", which became one of the most successful
records in 1961)
1960s:
In the early 1960s Prince Buster launches even more labels:
- Islam
- Soulville Centre
Prince Buster
Buster's house band consited usually
of Val Bennett (ts), Raymond Harper (tr), Baba Brooks
(tr), Junior Nelson,
Rico
Rodriguez (tb), Ernest Ranglin (g), Jah Jerry (g), Gladstone
Anderson (p), Arkland Parks (dr). George Austen describes the
early material as "distinct from other music of that period, having an
up tempo style with highly charged horny ska riffs dominated by cymbals."
(ska 2 soul)
From 1962 to 1967 Buster released
more than 600 tracks in the UK, usually on Blue Beat Records. His
most important musicians on saxophone were Val Bennett (on "Al
Capone") and Dennis 'Ska' Campbell.
1963:
Prince Buster has his first UK tour and is in studio with Georgie Fame, Red Price and Rico Rodriguez.
1964:
Buster organised recording sessions with The Maytals.
1967:
Early that year "Judge Dread" was released with an follow up called "The Barrister" and at the end of that year he had to realease ""Judge Dread Dances The Pardon" aka "Barrister Pardon" "with an excellent trombone solo by the great Rico Rodriguez." (Barrow/Dalton 1997, p. 56) which was recorded in the UK to calm his skinhead fans.
1968ff.:
Prince Buster lost his importance on the scene which transformed the musical style from rock steady to reggae. But he still produced records of relevance with John Holt, Dennis Brown, The Heptones, Alton Ellis and Big Youth.
1974:
The Message Dub Wise was released in the UK.
1979/80:
With the 2Tone movement and the group Madness Prince Buster was honoured in several ways: "Madness" is a track, released by Prince Buster in the 60s; and the first single of Madness was called "The Prince". The Specials opened their second album More Specials with "Enjoy Yourself", a song which became my all time favorite!
Later Alex Hughes adopted the name Judge Dread and had some success in the UK.
1990s:
From the late 1980s he had been sponsored by Gaz Mayall. Together they went on tour in the UK and in Japan. Prince Buster was featured on the Gaz Mayall produced Ska Island compilation and released the single "Whine and Grine" with a wonderful horn solo in the style of Rico - or by Rico himself(?!). He returns to business from time to time.
In 1994, after the success of Shaggy's success with his version of "Oh Carolina" he claimed copyright for the title but couldn't proof his rights.
1999
Buster played once again live at Camden Palace, London. Backed by a band called th Junction it must have been a good concert where the skinheads "danced like crazy sweating in the summer heat." (ska2soul)