Leroy Smart Selection Vol 1

Leroy Smart Selection Vol 1

I was 16 or 17 years old. I was still in high school. The year was either 1980 or 1981 (at the latest). I had just started getting into reggae music seriously and I had also just found Strictly Reggae Music - a record store in downtown San Diego, CA. Mind you, this was when downtown San Diego was still a bit harsh. That is, this is at a time when downtown San Diego was not a destination!

On a Friday afternoon, I remember driving down to the record store in order to buy a record and to talk to the owners of the store about reggae music. Talking to Chris and Dave was the only way I got information about reggae music at that time. In addition, I wanted to go down and talk to the guys about the concert that was being put on the next night by an artist named Leroy Smart. I had become fan through the record store and I probably had a record or two and possibly a 45. I was especially excited about learning as much as I could about him since this would be my first reggae concert ever. As I walked into the shop, a wirey looking gentleman was at the counter and had placed the needle on a record that turned out to be Smart's Let Everyman Survive LP. As the first notes played and Leroy's vocals burst out of the speaker, the wirey gentleman got every excited and began to sing along to the record. After about a minute, he picked up the needle and started the record again. Each time he did this, he would sing the first few verses of the song and then restart the record. Well, as you may have guessed by now, this was Leroy enjoying the sound coming out of the speakers at full blast. Being young and naive, I pointed to the record and said, "Is this you?". He looked at me and nodded his head and said, " No, no..it is not me". I didn't believe him and the guys in the store laughed and told me that it was Leroy. Leroy, however, denied it and kept on playing the record.

It turned out that Leroy was staying with one of the owners of the store while he did a mini tour of California. He had apparently been hanging out at the shop all week listening and playing records, then in the evening rehearsing the local band that would support him on his mini tour.

After hearing the first song of the album, Let Everyman Survive about 6 times, I decided to buy it and head on home. As I walked out of the store, Leroy was standing outside on the sidewalk listening to his record being played while he leaned up against a car parked out front. He didn't see me come out but as I walked by him I tapped him on the shoulder. As he turned around, he was startled to see me again and held up his hands as if implying, "I have not done anything". When he did this, I did not say a word to him. In fact, all I did was show him the record in my hand that I had just bought inside. As he saw me holding his record, he smiled as if he realized that he had been caught and that he could no longer deny who he was. I still did not say a word to him but smiled back and I started to walk away toward my car. As I walked away, he tapped me on my shoulder and after I turned around, he grabbed my hand and with a big smile said, "irie". To this day, Leroy Smart has been one of my favorite performers of all time. By the way, the concert the next night was tremendous.

Here is a selection of 45s I put together.

Leroy Smart Selection Vol. 1

1. Hooligan Vagabond (Jah Guidance) (DSR 0316 A) 1978
2. Hooligan Version (DSR 0317 B)
3. The Fittest Shall Survive (Hit) (DSR 7564 A)
4. G.G. All Star – Dub Part Two (DSR 7565 B)
5. So Strong (Ossie Sounds) (Ossie 209 A) 1978
6. Cultural Version (Ossie 209 B)
7. Jah Forgive Them (Micron) (DSR 2886 A)
8. Forgiving Version (DSR 2887 B)
9. What Will I Do (Rite Sound) (GA 102 A)
10. What Will I Do Version (GA 102 B)
11. Children Of The Ghetto (Write Sounds) (WTS 1001 A) 1978
12. Children Of The Ghetto Version (WTS 1001 B)
13. Waiting In Vain (Hit Bound) (DSR 4077 A) 1977
14. Waiting In Vain Version (Joe Joe 935 B)
15. Satisfaction (New Star) (DSR 6902 A) 1978
16. Satisfaction Version (DSR 6903 B)
17. Be My Lover (New Star) (DSR 5680) 1978
18. Be My Lover Version (DSR 5681 B)
19. This Ghetto Girl (Smart) (GG Records 1700 A) 1977
20. Ghetto Version (GG Records 1700 B)

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