Effective period / Period of releases: 1965 - 2016

Members: Freddie McGregor, Peter Austin, Ernest Wilson, Ancel (2)

The Clarendonians are a ska and rocksteady vocal group from Jamaica, active initially from the mid- to late 1960s. They were originally Fitzroy "Ernest" Wilson and Peter Austin, coming together in 1963. The duo recorded their debut single, "A Day Will Come", in 1965 at Federal Records with producer Leslie Kong. Leaving Leslie Kong, they moved on to Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio. Studio One boss and producer Clement Dodd took the duo into the studio, and recorded a series of singles (including "Rudie Gone a Jail", "Sho Be Do Be", "Rudie Bam Bam", and "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down") that helped to define the "rude boy" era of ska. Peter and Ernest brought the seven-year-old Freddie McGregor to the attention of Mr. Dodd. Contrary to popular belief, the group was never a trio, and Freddie McGregor was not a member of the group.