Carlton Barrett
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Carlton "Carly" Barrett (17 December 1950 – 17 April 1987) was a Jamaican musician best known for being the long-time drummer for Bob Marley & The Wailers. Recognized for his innovative style, which featured a highly syncopated, broken triplet pattern on the high-hat cymbals, and for his dazzling drum introductions, Barrett's prolific recordings with Marley have been internationally celebrated. He is credited with popularizing the One Drop rhythm.
Carlton Barrett was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1950, the son of Wilfred and Violet Barrett. As a teenager, he built his first set of drums out of empty paint cans he found on the street. Along with his contemporaries, drummers Sly Dunbar, Leroy Horsemouth Wallace, Style Scott and Carlton Santa Davis, Barrett was heavily influenced by Lloyd Knibb of the Skatalites.
In the 1960s, Barrett began performing with his brother Aston Familyman Barrett, under the name The Soul Mates or the Rhythm Force and eventually The Hippy Boys, a line-up that featured Max Romeo on vocals, Leroy Brown, Delano Stewart, Glen Adams and Alva Lewis. In 1969, the brothers joined The Wailers (later Known as Bob Marley and The Wailers). During his years with Marley, Barrett continued to record for many of Jamaica's most well known artists and is featured on solo albums by Bunny Wailer (Blackheart Man) and Peter Tosh (Legalize It and Equal Rights) as well as many others.
Death
On April 17, 1987, a gunman shot and killed Barrett outside of his home at 12 Bridgemount Park Avenue in Kingston, Jamaica. He was 36.
Carlton Barrett's wife, Albertine Barrett, was subsequently jailed on October 18, 1991, after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. Sentenced with her were Glenroy Carter, 39, her reputed lover and taxi operator of 15 Grayden Avenue, Kingston 10, and Junior Neil, 39, also called "Bang", a mason, of 19 Seaward Drive, Kingston 11, whom the prosecution alleged was responsible for the actual shooting.
