Nitty Gritty
b. Glen Augustus Holness, 1957, August Town, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 24 June 1991, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Nitty Gritty rose to prominence as computerised rhythms took hold in Jamaica, alongside Tenor Saw, King Kong and Anthony Red Rose, all of whom shared a similar vocal style. Gritty's was a deep-throated, gospel-tinged wail distinguished by improvised catchphrases. He was born the second eldest of 11 children in a church-going family, and he trained as an electrician before founding a local group called the Soulites. In 1973 he sang Let The Power Fall On I with Dennis Brown, George Nooks and the Mighty Diamonds for Joe Gibbs, but his first solo release, Every Man Is A Seller, did not arrive for another decade, being voiced for Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion label. After a spell on the Zodiac sound system with Danny Dread he cut several sides at Channel One, and two for Eric Bubbles Howard of the African Brothers, before moving on to George Phang in 1984. By the following April he had joined forces with King Jammys and their first release together, Hog In A Minty, was an instant success with its haunting vocal refrain and shuffling ‘tempo’ rhythm track. It was promptly followed by Good Morning Teacher, Sweet Reggae Music, Run Down The World and Gimme Some Of Your Something, all of them sizeable hits. His debut album, TURBO CHARGED, arrived in 1986 as did MUSICAL CONFRONTATION, on which credits were shared with King Kong. 
Soon afterwards he moved to London and then to New York, his output becoming more varied but lacking the impact of his work with Jammys. Singles appeared for Uptempo, Black Solidarity and Skengdon. He returned to form with GENERAL PENITENTIARY, recorded with the Studio One Band in 1987. This was far more like the Nitty Gritty of old. By 1989 an album for Blacker Dread had arrived with material dating back to his first visit to England in 1986, after which he became relatively inactive. At the age of 34 he was shot dead outside Super Power record shop in Brooklyn, New York.