Best known as ‘Sir Coxsone,’ Clement Dodd was an important figure in the development of ska music. He was the first black man to own a recording studio in Jamaica, the now legendary Studio One.

Described as the ‘Motown of Jamaica,’ Studio One was opened on Brentford Road, Kingston in 1963. It was at the studio that Sir Coxsone discovered a young Bob Marley and recorded future ska and reggae icons like organist Jackie Mittoo, John Holt, Ken Boothe, The Skatalites and Toots and the Maytals.

You can find out more about Coxsone and his iconic studio here.

C is also for… Count Ossie: The late, great Count Ossie (or Oswald Williams to his Mum) was a Rastafarian hand drummer who played on The Folkes Brother’s 1960 single Oh Carolina. Some consider the track the first ska recording.