Lee "Scratch" Perry OD (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, songwriter, and singer regarded as one of the pioneers of dub music and a major influence on reggae. Known for his experimental production techniques, innovative use of remixing, echo, and studio effects, Perry helped shape the sound of reggae and dub during the 1970s. Over the course of his career, he collaborated with artists including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, The Congos, Adrian Sherwood, Beastie Boys, The Clash, and The Orb.
Perry was born in Kendal, Jamaica, in the parish of Hanover. Raised in a working-class family, he left school at the age of 15 and worked various jobs before moving to Kingston, where he became involved in the city’s growing music scene. He began his career in the late 1950s working for Clement “Coxsone” Dodd’s Studio One, where he performed a variety of roles including record seller, talent scout, songwriter, and musician. After disputes with Dodd, he moved to Joe Gibbs’s Amalgamated Records before eventually founding his own label, Upsetter Records, in 1968.
One of Perry’s earliest hits, “People Funny Boy,” became successful in Jamaica and is often cited as an important early reggae recording because of its rhythmic style and use of sound effects. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, he worked extensively with his backing band, the Upsetters. Their instrumental track “The Return of Django” became an international success, reaching the UK charts in 1969. Around the same period, Perry began collaborating with Bob Marley and the Wailers, producing songs such as “Mr. Brown” and helping shape the group’s early sound.
In 1973, Perry established the Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica. Despite its limited equipment, the studio became legendary for its distinctive sound and experimental production methods. At Black Ark, Perry produced influential recordings for artists including Junior Murvin, The Heptones, Max Romeo, and The Congos. His productions from this period are considered some of the defining works of dub and roots reggae. By the end of the 1970s, however, personal and financial difficulties contributed to the decline of the studio, which was later destroyed by fire.
After leaving Jamaica in the early 1980s, Perry spent time in the United States and Europe, continuing to record and perform. Collaborations with producers such as Adrian Sherwood and Mad Professor helped revive his international profile during the late 1980s and 1990s. He later worked with artists including Beastie Boys, Moby, Animal Collective, and Andrew W.K., while continuing to experiment with electronic and dub-inspired music.
In 2003, Perry won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for “Jamaican E.T.” He also received Jamaica’s Order of Distinction and the Gold Musgrave Medal for his contributions to music and culture. Perry remained active as a performer, producer, and visual artist into the final years of his life, continuing to tour and release recordings. He died on 29 August 2021 at the age of 85, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential and innovative figures in reggae and dub music history.
