The Starlights, practically unknown outside Jamaica, are one of the main influences in the island's "Hit Factory" from 1973 to 1979. Lead vocalist Stanley Beckford's penetrating voice brings a return to Reggae/Calypso, a combination that was peculiar in Jamaica's country music of the 70s. Alvin Ranglin of G.G.'s Records takes pride in producing such material, where "Soldering" and "Dip Them Jah Jah" are the main standouts of the work.
The Starlights are indeed unknown outside Jamaica, but not in Brazil — Stanley Backford is an old acquaintance of Brazilians, and those who made him known to Brazilians were the Maranhão prospectors on excursions in search of pedras (for those who don't know, pedra in São Luís do Maranhão means REGGAE). Stanley is a retired police officer who was trying to make a living in old Kingston on that pension, and when told he was an idol in a place so far from his Jamaica, he hesitated several times and doubted such a fact.
After accepting the challenge, he left Jamaica bound for São Luís do Maranhão, where he performed for the first time at the I Festival da Integração held in September 1993 alongside other Jamaicans who have been making Maranhão dance for a long time. Eric Donaldson and Jimmy London, without diminishing the brilliance and charisma of this simple and charismatic black man. I add to his discography the work Stanley and The Turbines - Wanted Man (13 tracks), with total highlight for De wuk, Turn mi loose and Ring Ring (Telephone Melody), true hits in Maranhão and Bahia via the Reggaespecial program with Mr. Raycompany. There are other CDs produced during some of his shows in Salvador.
Stanley is one of several artists of Jamaican popular music who won some genre festivals in his country. Bahians and Maranhenses had the opportunity to attend six (6) of his shows, three (3) in São Luís do Maranhão and 3 in Salvador-BA.
One of these performances was broadcast live to all of Bahia by TVE during the show held at the Concha Acústica of Teatro Castro Alves/Salvador, where he performed alongside the Boloco Afro Muzenza and his countryman Primitive. Thanks to my friend Alek Coimbra from São Luís do Maranhão for the information about this great reggae man in Brazil.