Black Uhuru

Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae band that stood out with hits such as "Shine Eye Gal", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "Sinsemilla", "Solidarity", and "What Is Life?", winner of a Grammy in the reggae category when it was introduced in 1985.

The band's original name was Black Sounds Uhuru (uhuru means "freedom" in Swahili), given by Stan "Roy Scientist" Palmer. The first lineup consisted of Garth Dennis, Don Carlos and Derrick "Duckie" Simpson. The group underwent various lineup changes; Carlos left, replaced by Michael Rose; Dennis left for Wailing Souls, replaced by Errol Nelson.

During this initial period the band's most famous recording was the album "Love Crisis", later re-released as Black Sounds Of Freedom. In 1979 Sandra "Puma" Jones, a social worker from South Carolina, USA, joined. This formation — Rose, Simpson and Jones — joined producers Sly & Robbie (who also became bassist and drummer), releasing the band's most popular albums: Sinsemilla, Red, Chill Out and Anthem, which won the Grammy, among others. The band became one of the world's most popular reggae groups, touring constantly with bands like The Clash, The Police and The Rolling Stones.

Live 1984, recorded at Rockpalast, Germany, October 18, 1981, captured the band at its peak. In 1989 album Red reached 23rd on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest albums of the 1980s. Besides recording "Red" in a memorable studio and the live album "Tear It Up", the group peaked with "Anthem" in 1983. Remixed for US release and re-released in Europe, it won a Grammy, but internal problems caused separation the following year. Rose was replaced by Junior Reid. Jones and Reid continued until 1989. Reid left when vision problems prevented travel; Puma Jones, replaced by Olefunke, was forced to stop after contracting cancer. She died January 28, 1990 and was buried at her home in South Carolina. The three original members — Simpson, Spencer and Dennis — reunited to record "Now" in 1990.