Bunny Rugs | |
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![]() Pictured in 2009 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | William Alexander Anthony Clarke |
Also known as | Bunny Scott |
Born | Mandeville, Jamaica | 6 February 1948
Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
Died | 2 February 2014 Orlando, Florida, United States | (aged 65)
Genres | Reggae, Reggae fusion, funk, disco, ska |
Instrument | vocals |
Years active | Mid-1960s–2014 |
Formerly of | Charlie Hackett and the Souvenirs Inner Circle Hugh Hendricks and the Buccaneers The Bluegrass Experience Bunny & Ricky Third World |
William Alexander Anthony "Bunny Rugs" Clarke, OD (6 February 1948 – 2 February 2014), also known as Bunny Scott, was the lead singer of Jamaican reggae band Third World as well as a solo artist. He began his career in the mid-1960s, and was also at one time a member of Inner Circle and half of the duo Bunny & Ricky.
Biography
[edit]Born in Mandeville and raised on John's Lane in Kingston, Clarke's father was an Anglican preacher.[1] He joined Charlie Hackett and the Souvenirs, the resident band at the Kittymat Club on Maxfield Avenue, in the mid-1960s before leading the early line-up of Inner Circle in 1969.[2] A spell living in New York City followed from 1971 where he was a member of the dance band Hugh Hendricks and the Buccaneers, and later the Bluegrass Experience with Glen Adams, Eric Frater and Sparrow Martin.[1][3] He returned to Jamaica in 1974 and recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark, initially as a backing singer, then with Leslie Kong's nephew Ricky Grant as the duo Bunny & Ricky, releasing singles such as "Freedom Fighter" and "Bushweed Corntrash", and also recording the solo album To Love Somebody (1975, credited as Bunny Scott).[1] He was also a member of The Wild Bunch before returning to New York and taking over as lead singer of Third World from Milton "Prilly" Hamilton in 1976.[3] With Third World he recorded the successful 96° in the Shade album, and was with the band until his death in early 2014[3] He returned to the Black Ark in 1977, contributing backing vocals (with Earl 16) to Yabby You's "Chant Down Babylon Kingdom".[1]
As well as performing and recording with Third World, he continued to record as a solo artist, releasing the Jack Scorpio-produced Talking to You album in 1995, with guest contributions from Papa San, Cobra and General Trees.[3][4]
His planned 2008 album Thinking Bout You was due to be released on 6 February, to coincide with Bob Marley Day celebrations, the date also being Clarke's birthday.[5] He contributed to the Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band album in 2009, contributing a version of "Lovely Rita" recorded with U-Roy.
In 2012 he released the single "Land We Love", with profits going to the charities the Jamaican Children's Heart Fund (the charity for which he was a spokesman) and Chain of Hope.[6] The single was taken from the album Time, released in September 2012.[6][7] Later that year he received a Caribbean American Heritage Award for Outstanding Contribution to Reggae.[8]
Health problems forced him to miss some of the shows on Third World's fortieth anniversary tour in 2013, and he confirmed that he had been diagnosed with cancer.[9] In early 2014 he was hospitalized in Orlando, Florida, where he was treated for leukemia, and died on 2 February, 4 days before what would have been his 66th birthday.[9][10][11] A memorial service later that month included tributes from Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna, opposition culture spokesperson Olivia Grange, and former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.[12] He is survived by his wife and five children.[13]
Clarke explained that his 'Bunny Rugs' nickname came from his grandmother calling him 'Bunny' as a child because he would "jump around the house like a rabbit" and from a member of the Third World road crew calling him 'Rugs' because of his liking for sleeping on the floor.[14]
In 2016 it was announced that Clarke would be posthumously awarded the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) by the Jamaican government for his contribution to the country's music.[15]
Discography
[edit]See also Third World
Albums
[edit]- To Love Somebody (1975), Klik – as Bunny Scott
- Talking to You (1995), Greensleeves/Shanachie
- Bunny Rugs on Soul (2000), DFP Music
- What a World (2006), Elite Music Group
- I'm Sure (2007), CED
- Time (2012), VPAL
Compilations
[edit]- Timeless Classics (2011)
Singles
[edit]- "Let Love Touch Us Now"/"I Am I Said" (1982), Black Ark International – 12-inch, credited as 'Bunny Rags'
- "Be Thankful" (1974), Belleville International
- "War, War, War" (198?), Black Scorpio
- "Bridges Instead" (1990), Two Friends – 12-inch, Shabba Ranks featuring Bunny Rugs
- "Here Comes Rudie" (1991), Exterminator – Gregory Isaacs & Bunny Rugs
- "Rude Boy" (1991), Xterminator – Tony Rebel, Gregory Isaacs, and Bunny Rugs
- "If I Follow My Heart" (1993), Tuff Gong
- "I'm The Ghetto" (1993), Leggo
- "Stand By Me" (1994), Shanachie – Bunny Rugs & Papa San
- "Stand By Me" (1994), Black Scorpio – Papa San & Bunny Rugs, B-side of Papa San's "Girls Every Day"
- "Now That We've Found Love" (1995), Greensleeves – 12-inch
- "Now That We Found Love" (1995), Black Scorpio – featuring Sean Paul
- "Now That We Found Love" (1995), Shanachie
- "Apartheid No!"
- "In Love Again" (2002), Bernard Hall/ Chad Supreme Records
- "I'll Be There" (2002), Joe Frasier
- "What a World" (2004), Raw Edge
- "Marcus Garvey" (2004), Mister Tipsy
- "Writings on the Wall" (2005), Elogic Music Group – Wayne Marshall & Bunny Rugs
- "Now That We've Found Love" (2006), CED – CD maxi single
- "World Today" (2007), Hyper-Active Entertainment
- "Down in the Ghetto" (2007), Taxi – Bounty Killer & Bunny Rugs
- "Satamassagana" (20??), Coptic Lion – featuring Tappa Zukie
- Excerpts from the album Time EP (2011)
- "Big May" (2012), Black Swan/Trojan
- "Land We Love" (2012)
With Bunny & Ricky
[edit]- "Freedom Fighter" (1974), Black Art
- "Bushweed Corntrash" (1975), Black Art
With Marcia Griffiths
[edit]- "Really Together" (2010), Marcia Griffiths and Friends
- "Sense Of Purpose" (2010), Marcia Griffiths and Friends
- "It's Not Funny" (2010), Marcia Griffiths and Friends
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Katz, David (2006) People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-1846094439, p. 217, 218
- ^ "Bunny Rugs: Third World frontman became reggae superstar", Sydney Morning Herald, 14 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014
- ^ a b c d Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 44-5
- ^ Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4, p. 323
- ^ Cooke, Mel (2008) "Bunny Rugs to release new 'birthday' album Archived 15 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Gleaner, 15 January 2008, retrieved 7 September 2012
- ^ a b Walters, Hasani (2012) "Singing For Charity – Bunny Rugs' Charity Effort Released Yesterday", Jamaica Gleaner, 29 August 2012, retrieved 7 September 2012
- ^ Repynolds, Athaliah (2008) "Open heart surgeries save six 'little' lives Archived 21 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Gleaner, 8 November 2008, retrieved 7 September 2012
- ^ Walters, Basil (2012) "Bunny Rugs to get US award", Jamaica Observer, 14 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012
- ^ a b Walters, Basil (2014) "Bunny Rugs on the mend", Jamaica Observer, 30 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014
- ^ Silvera, Janet (2014) "Third World Lead Singer Bunny Rugs Is Dead", Jamaica Gleaner, 3 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014
- ^ Campbell, Howard (2014) "Death of a Reggae Ambassador Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Observer, 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014
- ^ Brooks, Sadeke (2014) "Heart-Felt Tributes For Bunny Rugs Farewell", Jamaica Gleaner, 25 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014
- ^ "William 'Bunny Rugs' Clarke, Reggae Ambassador, Dead at 65 - SPIN - Newswire". SPIN. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ "Third World (Bunny Rugs) – Couleur Cafe 07/2005 Archived 17 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine", Rebel Base, retrieved 7 September 2012
- ^ Bonitto, Brian (2016) "First-class honour for Third World singer", Jamaica Observer, 18 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016