JACOB MILLER “NOT JUST A DREAD”

Jacob Miller was born in Mandeville, central Jamaica on May 4, 1952 to Joan Ashman and Desmond Elliot.

At the age of eight he moved to Kingston, Jamaica where he grew up with his maternal grandparents.

In Kingston, Miller began spending time at popular studios including Clement Dodd’s Studio One.

He recorded three songs for Dodd, including “Love is a Message” in 1968, which the Swaby brothers, (Horace, later called Augustus Pablo, and Garth) played at their Rockers Sound System. While the song did not garner much success nor maintain Dodd’s attention in Miller, it resulted in Pablo’s sustained interest in Miller

After the brothers launched their own label in 1972, Pablo recorded a version of “Love is a Message” named “Keep on Knocking” in 1974.

In the next year and a half Miller recorded five more songs for Pablo, “Baby I Love You So,” “False Rasta,” “Who Say Jah No Dread,” “Each One Teach One,” and “Girl Named Pat”, each of which became a Rockers classic with King Tubby dubs on their b-sides.

These singles developed Miller’s reputation and ultimately drew Inner Circle to hire him as a replacement lead singer

Their first hit with Jacob Miller was “Tenement Yard”, followed by “Tired Fi Lick Weed In a Bush”.

While recording, Miller continued pursuing a solo career, recording “Forward Jah Jah Children,” “Girl Don’t Com” produced by Gussie Clarke, and “I’m a Natty” produced by Joe Gibbs. He earned second place in Jamaica’s 1976 Festival Song competition with the song “All Night ‘Till Daylight” and produced his first solo album in 1978, Dread Dread. While most of Miller’s solo work were backed by Inner Circle members, his preferred Rockers style diverged from the tendency of Inner Circle to experiment with other genres, including pop, soul, funk and disco.

The track which has brought him the most lasting recognition is the rockers standard 'King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown' with Augustus Pablo, a dub of 'Baby I Love you So,' engineered by King Tubby. Other notable tracks with Augustus Pablo include 'Keep on Knocking,' 'False Rasta' and 'Who Say Jah No Dread', all produced by Pablo. The album Who Say Jah No Dread features two versions of each of these tracks; the original and a dub engineered by King Tubby

Jacob "Killer" Miller had a unique vocal style, using staccato motifs in counter play with the rhythm section; he was an intelligent and original artist, and recognized his own potential to lead, releasing a re-cut of his own track 'Tenement Yard' with the title 'Too Much Imitator', a straight out attack on those trying to copy his style

In March 1980, Jacob Miller went with Bob Marley and Chris Blackwell to Brazil to celebrate Island opening new offices in South America.

On Sunday, March 23, 1980 Miller was killed at age 27 in a car accident on Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica.

This abruptly cut short a promising career that had already taken young Jacob Miller from 'yard' (Jamaica) to an international record deal with Island Records.