Rocking Steady!: The beginning of your career was in the late 50‘s when you won the Vere John‘s talent show with the Little Richard cover „Long Tall Sally" and went on tour with the comedy duo Bim & Bam two years throughout Jamaica. From which year is your first own recording and how did you get into music?

Derrick Morgan: I was born on the land in Mocho Clarendon and when I was three, my mother and I went to Kingston because of my night blindness. In the church choir and in school I came into contact with music and on the radio we heard many good songs. And thanks to John Vere and Bim & Bam I collected plenty of stage experience in 1957 , before I recorded the songs „Lover Boy" and „Oh My Love is Gone" for the Duke Reid in 1959, which he played only on its sound system. The first buyable record was the from LS Smith produced hit „Fat Man", which also appeared in England. Then came singles for Clement ‚Coxsone‘ Dodd, eg „Leave Earth" and „Wigger Wee Shuffle".

Derrick Morgan became addicted to the traditional music styles of the small Caribbean island early - and he kept face with them until today ...

Rocking Steady!: In the early 60s there was a ska boom and there were many musicians, producers and promoters and a tough competition. At that time the title ‚Hitmaker‘ was given to you, because you managed to place seven singles (including „Be Still", „Sunday Monday" and „The Hop") in the top ten. But success had its downside too, so there was a legendary musical dispute with Prince Buster, who first produced so many of your songs. And he was a good friend as well.

Derrick Morgan: Reid, Smith, Buster - they were the first with whom I worked. A very good time in which even the duet „Housewife‘s Choice" (No. 1 in Jamaica) with singer Millicent „Patsy" Todd was born, with whom I later worked on and off. She lived so long in my neighborhood, near the Orange Street in Kingston. Then came Jimmy Cliff (at that time known as James Chambers) to my house and brought the song suggestions „Dearest Beverly" and „Hurricane Hattie". He wanted me to advertise for Leslie Kong and his label Beverly Records. The offer was good, Kong paid the first £ 10 per song, so I accepted and so Jimmy Cliff, Owen Gray and I went to the studio with some musicians, known as Drumbago, rehearsed and recorded some songs, including „She‘s Gone".

Rocking Steady!: In 1962, when Jamaica became independent from British rule, „Forward March" was as a promising tune. Almost simultaneously there was a dispute with singer / producer Prince Buster. Can you still remember exactly why?

Derrick Morgan: The saxophone solo in it was from Headly Bennet, Prince Buster said it was stolen from his song „They Got To Come". He then attacked me with „Blackhead Chinaman" which we countered with „Blazing Fire" and „No Raise, No Praise." These mutual insults meant that there was unrest in the population, the fans fought out the conflict even violently. As the government stepped in and asked us to settle the dispute. Then we gave a statement in the Daily Gleaner that the dispute was only one out of control sales gimmick ... And from that time on we were good friends again. But this kind of fighting has followed in the Jamaican music scene again and again until today, especially in the Dancehall.

Rocking Steady!: 1962 appeared also the name of Bob Marley in connection with Derrick Morgan for the first time. Is there an anecdote behind it?

Derrick Morgan: A friend, Pat Stewart, pointed out his skills to me, but at first he was a better dancer than singer. I introduced him to Leslie Kong, who recorded „Judge Not," „Terrorist" and „One Cup Of Coffee", the first tunes under the name of Bob Marley. Before I left England in 1963, there were two farewell shows in Jamaica for me. Also Bob Marley appeared on stage. Then I didn`t see him for a long time, but the rest of the singer from Trench Town is history nowadays.

Rocking Steady!: First there was Mento, Calypso and Rhythm and Blues. Then ska, so to speak, the founder-period music of Jamaica. And in the aftermath Rock Steady, that was launched with your song „Tougher Than Tough". Last year the interesting film and DVD documentary „Rock Steady-The Roots Of Reggae" from the Swiss Stascha Bader was published (Switzerland, 2009, 95 minutes, English), in that you were also heavily involved. What‘s the rock steady periods need-to-knows?

Derrick Morgan: „Tougher Than Tough" aka „Rudies Dont`t Fear" referred to a Rudeboy named Busby, who was shot shortly after the creation of the songs by a hostile gang on a "Dance". In the Dynamic recording studio George and Desmond Dekker (The Pioneers) supported me. That was 1966 and I superimposed on with „Cool Off Rudies" a more soothing song, so that all calmed down. From 1967, I then run my own label hop, on which I initially produced a lot of Rock Steady, relaxed style, before it was replaced by reggae with all its facets.

More than five decades in the international music business. The Jamaican Derrick Morgan has played a major role for styles like ska, rocksteady and reggae.

Rocking Steady!: Where we were already in skinhead reggae. By today, in any of your sets, whether in the U.S. or Europe (at Chiemsee Reggae Summer Festival or the This Is Ska in Rosslau), where you‘re still often on tour, the hit „Moon Hop" is a must.

Derrick Morgan: Unlike many colleagues, I have been often in England to work, but I never took up residence there. I‘m still in Jamaica. Clearly, 1969 was the year of the skinheads in England and they celebrated me for my „Moon Hop", it was a great success. And the fans still like this song, especially the sound systems play it again and again in the clubs after the concerts. Just like the version of Symarip, known under the title „Skinhead Moon Stomp!. „Moon Hop" today may not lack like „Reggae Train," „Miss Lulu," „Conquering Ruler", „Don‘t Call Me Daddy," „Tougher Than Tough", „Fat Man" or „Blazing Fire". Otherwise the people are really disappointed. Ok, I almost forgot „Seven Letters", the first reggae song that I created with Bunny Lee, reminiscent of Ben E. King. Or „Bangarang", which then Stranger Cole and Lester Sterling (The Skatalites) were involved.

Rocking Steady!: Also from the 70s to today you have been very active. Publications worldwide performances, production and label work (Hop) alternated constantly.

Derrick Morgan: Yes, I stayed active and thus young in some way. I have been married since 1968 with my wife, Nellie, have children, so I have to pay financially for a large family. Nellie the way, is the sister of Bunny Lee, with whom I‘ve worked a lot. Later came Max Romeo, Tony Rebel and Garnet Silk, The Jets, The Soul Syndicate Band and the German group Yebo. And the Dutch from Rude Rich & The High Notes. Many who did not come from Jamaica, have mastered the task to back me with my classics with flying colors. And that should calm remain in the coming years, however, for I will not even say goodbye from the music business!

(Frank Keil)