Keithus I

Born Milton Samuels, Keithus I grew up in the central Kingston community of Allman Town. Moving to Clarendon in the late 1960's, he played for the powerful Vere Technical football team in the daCosta Cup, his team-mates included Orville Edwards, Corsel Blair, Kenneth 'Bop' Campbell and Las Shaw. It was through his Vere connection that he met Alan 'Skill' Cole, the school's biggest star of the late 1960's. Cole was Bob Marley's road manager in the mid-1970's and introduced Keithus I to the Barrett brothers who were the most famous rhythm section in reggae at the time. Red Hot, the first song Keithus I ever recorded was recorded in 1975 at the Tuff Gong studio with bassist Aston 'Familyman' Barrett, drummer Carlton Barrett and keyboardist Tyrone Downie of the Wailers, among the musicians. Though he recorded sporadically, music took a backseat for Keithus I in the 1980s. He concentrated on a career in film production while living in Montreal, Canada and on his return to Jamaica.