'Tenor Saw (born Clive Bright, Kingston, Jamaica, February 11, 1966, died August 1988, Houston, Texas, United States) was a prominent dancehall singer in the 1980s, and one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era. His best-known song was the 1985 hit "Ring the Alarm" on the "Stalag 17" riddim.
Bright was raised in the Payne Avenue district of West Kingston. His first single, "Roll Call" was recorded in 1984 for George Phang's Powerhouse label, on the "Queen Majesty" rhythm. He moved on, with his friend Nitty Gritty, to work with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound system and Black Roots Records label, having hits in Jamaica with "Lots of Sign", "Pumpkin Belly", "Run Come Call Me", and "Fever". His most successful single, however, was "Ring the Alarm", voiced over the "Stalag" riddim for Winston Riley's Techniques label. The singles' success saw Tenor Saw work with Prince Jammy, recording "Pumpkin Belly" on Jammy's (then) new "Sleng Teng" rhythm. Further hits followed in 1986 with "Golden Hen" (on the Uptempo label), and Minott issued Tenor Saw's debut album, Fever, that year.In common with most dancehall albums of the period, most of the rhythms were digital adaptions of older tunes from the 1960s and 1970s, usually produced originally by Coxsone Dodd or Duke Reid. Thus, "Shirley Jones" is based on the "Rougher Yet" riddim (named after Keith "Slim" Smith's "Rougher Yet"), and "Eeni Meeni Mini Mo" uses the "Real Rock" riddim from Studio One, while "Roll Call" versions The Techniques' "Queen Majesty" from Duke Reid, and "Lots of Sign" uses the bassline of "Tonight" by Keith & Tex, produced by Derrick Harriott
By the time the album was released, Tenor Saw had relocated to Miami, joining the Skengdon crew, where he recorded "Dancehall Feeling" and "Bad Boys". He recorded "No Work On a Sunday" for Donovan Germain, before moving to New York, where he recorded with Freddie McGregor ("Victory Train"). His last recording, "Chill Out Chill Out", was a duet with General Doggie.
In August 1988 he was killed in Houston, Texas, with the official cause of death determined as a case of hit and run, although other sources insist that he was murdered. He died at 22 years of age. Tenor Saw is regarded as one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era of the mid-1980s.
listen Tenor Saw Lone Ranger https://youtu.be/dmjrx7pIziE
https://youtu.be/dmjrx7pIziE
| Clive Bright |
| February 11, 1966 Kingston, Jamaica |
| August 1988 |