Stanley Beckford, born on February 17, 1942, in Portland, Jamaica, was a Jamaican mento and reggae singer and songwriter. His early music training began with singing in a local church choir, where he worked as the choir leader, and learning the guitar from a neighbor. His breakthrough came in 1973 when he wrote and recorded the single “You Are a Wanted Man” with his backing band, the Starlites, which reached Number 1 on the Jamaican charts. He went on to release several hits, including the single “Soldering” (1975). He later renamed his group to Stanley and the Turbines, releasing the hit single and album Leave Mi Kisiloo (1977) and the album Big Bamboo (1981). He won the prestigious Jamaica festival song contest four times, including victories in 1980 with “Come Sing with Me”, in 1994 with “Dem a Pollute” alongside the Astronauts, and as a solo artist in 2000 with “Fi Wi Island A Boom”. In 2003, he released the album Stanley Beckford Plays Mento, collaborating with the Blue Glaze band, followed by Reggaemento (2004), both of which led to European tours where he earned comparisons to Compay Segundo. He died of throat cancer on March 30, 2007, in Riversdale, Saint Catherine, Jamaica.
