Junior Tucker

Leslie Tucker, known as Junior Tucker (born 1966 in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica), is a Jamaican reggae singer, who started his career in secular music but who now sings Christian music. His hits included "Happy" and his own composition, "Don't Test".

Junior Tucker
Birth nameLeslie Tucker
Born1966 (age 53–54)
Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica
GenresReggae, dancehall, gospel music
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, minister
Years active1973–present
LabelsVP Records, Island Records, Geffen Records, Virgin Records
WebsiteJunior Tucker Ministries

Career

His first hit was "Happy", released when he was aged seven years old, and was a No. 1 hit single in Jamaica, where he was known as the Jamaican Michael Jackson.[1][2] He performed the tune at the One Love Peace Concert in 1978.[3] He had further hits with his cover version of "Some Guys Have All The Luck" and, in 1983, recorded the first version of "Mr. Telephone Man", a 1984 Top 20 Billboard hit for New Edition.[4] He then studied audio engineering at the Institute of Audio Research in New York City, and following his study began to write his own songs. "Don't Test", one of his first compositions, became an international hit earning him a recording contract with Virgin in 1989. "Don't Test" peaked at No. 54 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1990.[5] He was released from his Virgin contract in 1991, returning to Jamaica, where he became a dancehall act.

Tucker also had international success (especially in Australia in 1991) with a reggae cover of the 1980 Benny Mardones hit "Into the Night". Junior Tucker's version was called "16 (Into The Night)". In 1993, he recorded a No. 1 hit in "Love of a Lifetime", releasing an album of the same name later that year for VP Records.[3]

After the death of his father and birth of his daughter, Tucker went in search of the meaning of life. After asking God to 'let him sleep', he became a born again Christian, and was baptised. He said that God had led him to move to Florida, where he initially sung at a mostly West Indian church in Broward. He subsequently moved to New Harvest Church in Clewiston, Florida and enrolled on a correspondence course degree in Ministry.[1]

He has recorded several Christian reggae albums including Brand New, Ready for the Rapture, Sold Out – Worship from the Islands plus Victory – Worship from the Islands II.

Discography
Albums
  • It's A Small, Small World (1978), Top Ranking
  • Take A Message (1980), Tuff Gong Records
  • Jr. Tucker (1983), Geffen Records
  • Don't Test (1990), 10 Records
  • Love of a Lifetime (1993), VP Records
  • True Confession (1996), VP Records
  • Deep Inside Of You (1996), Don't Test Productions
  • Brand New (2000), Soulshine Records
  • Secret Lover (2009), Jet Star
  • Jesus Famous (2015)

References
  1. Jamaica-gleaner.com
  2. Juniortucker.com
  3. Rovi. "Junior Tucker". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  4. Reggae-exports.com
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 568. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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