Bob Marley’s ‘go-to selector’ celebrates his 70th birthday

Legendary sound system selector Eric Ffrench, popularly known as 'King Danny Dread the Teacher', is reminiscing on his time shared with Bob Marley, as he looks forward to celebrate his 70th birthday.

"The music is definitely a part of what keep me going yuh nuh, keep me busy and vibrant. But mi naah look forward to nutten more than the gift of life - dat a di greatest ting fi know seh wi reach dah age deh. A part of my reward for being in music is that I'm still here," Danny shared with THE STAR.

The veteran deejay's special day, which is dubbed 'Danny Dread 70th Earthday Ilebration' will be hosted at Kingston Dub Club in Jacks Hill on April 28. Danny will be soothed with the great selections from his colleagues, guest selectors Caveman and Ilawi and special appearances by guest artistes and other selectors.

He said that he is pleased with his accomplishments and all the established acts he worked with. He is not only recognised globally as the 'King of Selectors' but Marley's 'go-to selector'.

"It's a good feeling because me is a man weh used to guh check Bob Marley and him come check we and used to give me him chune dem fi play pon di [Papa Roots] sound, enuh - like dubplates. Radio neva use to really play nuff Bob Marley suh is the sound system dem used to advertise Bob di most," Danny stated. He added that, based on the bond and conversations that Marley's Wailers' teammate Bunny Wailer shared with his late brother, who was also a sound system operator, he was inspired to start selecting. After leaving secondary school, Danny worked as an electrician but later quit to pursue his passion for music.

Through the years, he developed a creative selecting style called the 'one drop' live mix down technique on sound systems which he strongly believes inspired Marley's 1979 hit single, One Drop.

"Bob used to come a di dance dem weh me used to play and I used to mix di music inna one drop style suh when I hear Bob Marley sing di music - ' Feel it in the one drop' a seh a feel like a me Bob probably get dah inspiration deh from, from me playing the sound and doing the music like dat," he said, clarifying that he never got a chance to confirm with Marley if that was the case. However, Danny is sure that Marley's second line of that song underscored the singer's personal experience in a dance session in which the music was played using a one drop technique. At the time, Danny was the only selector with that style of play.

"When mi used to play sound wi never used to mix; wi used to just drop in the bass when the music start and before it done yuh tek it out. But by doing that, I start to feel a vibes by taking out the bass and treble at the same time and putting them in back and deh suh is where it started - the one drop ting and the mixing of it," he reasoned.

Danny's career overlaps with many of Jamaica's biggest reggae stars including U-Roy, Barrington Levy, Super Cat, Yellowman, Josey Wales, Sugar Minott, and Dennis Brown. In 2020, he was recognised by Entertainment Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange for his contribution to the "bedrock of Jamaican music". As the longest serving selector for King Addies, Danny advised young selectors to pick out their selections days in advance.

"When dem turn up inna di dance dem now, dem affi watch di crowd and see how di crowd a move because yuh might have to draw back fi some chune weh dem play earlier and play it back later. Suh mi wudda like di youth dem weh a duh dis thing yah now fi keep a cool head and make dis ting yah right because music evolves, suh wi affi evolve wid it too, and appreciate weh dem young youth yah a do because a dem a di future weh wi used to talk 'bout," he said.