CULTURE
Byron Lee AND THE
Dragonaires
B
Written by: K . Winchester
yron Lee and the Dragonaires played a considerable role in taking Caribbean music to the world and was one of the most influential Soca/Calypso bands of its time. As a unit, the Dragonaires won the hearts of music lovers across the globe, wearing not only the Jamaican colours on their sleeves but the colours of the Caribbean. It is almost inadequate to speak about Carnival in Jamaica and not mention Byron Lee and The Dragonaires. On June 21, 1935, the Parish of Manchester, welcomed a newborn named Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee, a future musical pioneer. Although both his parents knew nothing about music, Byron took a vested interest in it. He learnt to play the piano at the Catholic school he attended and taught himself to play bass, using a homemade instrument. It was during his high school years that Byron’s musical career ignited. Being a talented footballer, Byron represented both school and country, and it was after a school victory that he and his friends celebrated and the idea of a band develop. Byron played for the favoured team called The Dragonaires, whose jersey borne a design of a dragon being slain. Combined with the “aires”, he and his friend Carl Brady, formed the band The Dragonaires, in 1950. Byron concentrated on playing the bass guitar, as it was easier to move around with than a keyboard. After a few years of playing in several low key events, without any monetary payment, Byron
decided to turn professional in 1956 with the band immediately making a name for themselves. It is acclaimed that Byron is responsible for the introduction of the electric bass guitar to the island in late 1959 – 1960, which gave a clearer, and more dynamic sound and changed the entire tone of Jamaican music. The band recorded their debut single, “Dumplin’s”, in 1959 at the WIRL (West Indies Records Limited) studios owned by future Prime Minister Edward Seaga, who became the band’s manager. Mr Seaga later took Byron to his constituency, a place called Tivoli Gardens, to meet all the great artists of Ska. Byron then took the artists and the music uptown where the response was overwhelming.
Byron Lee with Guitar
Success continued as Byron Lee and The Dragonaires were featured in the James Bond movie Dr No, playing three numbers: Three Blind Mice; Jump Up Jump Up Jamaica; and Ursula Andress’s Under The Mango Tree. More opportunities came as one of Byron’s most prominent years was 1964, when he and the Dragonaires played at the New York World’s Fair, 34
MAY 2020
