
I am the Upsetter!” he said, alluding back to his 1968 single of that name.Īctive professionally from 1961 to the end of his days, Perry was known internationally by his nicknames “Scratch” (drawn from “Chicken Scratch,” the title of an early song cut for Clement “Coxsone” Dodd’s Studio One label) and “the Upsetter” (springing off the 1967 single “I Am the Upsetter,” a stinging slap at his former boss Dodd).Īfter a long apprenticeship working for Dodd and the prominent producer Joe Gibbs, Perry stepped out on his own in 1968. When they think you are crazy, they don’t come around and take your energy, making you weak. “Being a madman is good thing!” Perry told Rolling Stone in a 2010 profile. Many say that l am the best in the world!” he said in 1984.Įven in a form that has some eccentrics, Perry particularly stood out. “I am the best record producer that Jamaica has seen.

Perry had little doubt of his own significance in the music world. Like Phil Spector, he has a gift of not only hearing sounds that come from nowhere else, but also translating those sounds to the musicians.
#LEE SCRATCH PERRY HOW TO#
More than a producer, he knows how to inspire the artist’s soul. Keith Richards is among the rockers who has weighed in on Perry over the years, telling Rolling Stone in 2010, “You could never put your finger on Lee Perry – he’s the Salvador Dali of music. Play his music for your kids, see how instantly they love it.

“He expanded the vocabulary of studio sound, lived a long life & leaves a lasting legacy. “Few more important figures in the music of the 20th century,” tweeted the band the Mountain Goats. Musicians from many genres quickly began weighing in on Perry’s importance. As a performer, he won the Grammy for best reggae album in 2003 for his recording “Jamaican E.T.” Perry made his name in the late 1960s and ’70s for producing some of the most cutting-edge reggae artists, with his Upsetter label helping establish many of the genre’s greats, like the Wailers. It seems she intends to get answers and expose anyone who may have been negligent in his death.My deep condolences to the family, friends, and fans of legendary record producer and singer, Rainford Hugh Perry OD, affectionately known as "Lee Scratch" Perry. “This catastrophic loss is totally unexpected and unbelievable! Lee Scratch Perry was not sick! I promise to get justice for the mishandling that took place! I promise I will not stop until we get justice from the people responsible for his death !!!” she said at that time. Just after his passing, she took to Instagram to share her feelings about Perry’s sudden death. I will try my best to keep your spirit alive.” Just about a week after his passing, she said, “You were more than a husband, you were my best friend. Mireille has definitely been affected by the passing of the eclectic and legendary producer. “Please also understand, everything in Jamaica takes longer and I will come with more information as soon as it becomes possible,” she added. Mireille and Lee Scratch Perry | photo: Mirielle She remains tight-lipped about that information on the advice of her lawyers. She maintains, however, that the 85-year-old entertainer was not sick before his death. Mireille added that she could not talk about the cause of his death at this time. She also said that he died while on his way to the Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, and not after he was admitted. Firstly, she said that Lee “Scratch” Perry passed away on Saturday, August 28, and not Sunday, August 29, which has been widely reported.

She confirmed the news to the Jamaica Star and revealed a little insight into what is going to happen and why she needed clarification on those matters. Now she’s confirmed that all matters concerning his death are in the hands of his lawyers. A short while after his death, his widow, Mireille Perry, took to social media to insinuate that she suspected foul play and that she would look deeper into the matter. It’s been less than a month that the world lost producing legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. We will soon learn Lee’ Scratch’ Perry’s cause of death, per his widow Mireille.
