Freddie McGregor Mourns The Death Of The Clarendonian’s Ernest Wilson At 69
Reggae veteran Freddie McGregor is overwhelmed with grief, following the death of Ernest Wilson, his longtime friend and parish compatriot with whom he recorded his first hit single, and a founding member of the Clarendonians.
Wilson died on Tuesday at the Kingston Public Hospital at age 69, just two weeks shy of his 70th birthday on November 18.
“I’m lost for words that my beloved friend Ernest Wilson who founded the Clarendonians, a group that many said I was a member of, passed away yesterday at 69 years old. Rest In Power my brother. My deepest sympathy goes out to his loved ones,” McGregor noted on his Instagram page on Wednesday.
“To be honest I’m overwhelmed with the sudden pass away of friends and people I know. Enjoy life while you are here. Never know when it will come to an end,” the Big Ship label founder said.
Wilson and his childhood friend Peter Austin, formed The Clarendonians in the early 1960’s as teenagers. According to the group’s profile on Apple Music, the duo evolved into a trio with the inclusion of Freddie McGregor, who was seven years old at the time.
Even though they were together for less than four years, the records show that The Clarendonians went on to become one of Jamaica’s most successful Ska and early Reggae groups, churning out hits such as You Won’t See Me, You Can’t Be Happy, Rudie Bam Bam, Rude Boy Gone A Jail and Sho-Be-Do I Love You, and You Can’t Keep A Cool Man Down.
Wilson and Austin had co-opted Freddie McGregor when the suggestion was made by legendary record producer Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd of Studio One.
Coxsone later paired McGregor with Ernest Wilson as ‘Fitzy and Freddy’ on the hit single Why Did You Do It I in 1966. That song was Freddie’s first recording.
Prior to meeting Coxsone, Wilson and Austin had been entering local talent contests. Coxsone, upon hearing them for the first time was so impressed that he gave them their big break and signed them to his Studio One label and suggested that they add McGregor.
Freddie, it was said, was so tiny at the time, that he had to stand on a beer crate to reach the microphone.
After the Clarendonians split, Wilson had continued performing as a solo act. He also did a short sting with The Techniques using the moniker King Shark.
Wilson also continued to do studio and dubplate work with Austin over the years.
He even contributed backing vocals for songs by Beres Hammond, Inner Circle, Jimmy Riley and Johnny Osbourne, played bass guitar on Gregory Isaacs’ Cool Ruler album, as well as on several recordings for other stars, including tracks by Reggae singer and former festival song winner, Tinga Stewart.
He released several solo albums over the last three and a half decades – Love Revolution in 1986 which was produced by Trevor Bow, Promise Me in 1987 produced by Winston Riley, Undying Love in 1991 which was produced by the legendary King Jammy; Still Love You in 2007 and Amazing and Timeless Classics in 2010, which were produced by Rowen Johnson. In March this year, he also released the single I’m Back on my Feet.
One of Wilson’s biggest international hit singles, Let True Love Be, which was recorded in 1976, was done in collaboration with legendary musician, composer and arranger Harold Butler and featured on Butler’s 1978 album, The Butler Did It.
In addition, one of his most popular songs titled I Know Myself, also featured in the soundtrack of the British-French series Death in Paradise.