Don Drummond

This is a comprehensive biography of a brilliant musician and his lover who forever shaped the course of ska, reggae, and popular music worldwide despite poverty, class separation, mental illness, racial politics, exploitation, and sexism that resulted in murder. Through the words of Don Drummond's childhood friends, classmates, musicians, medical staff, legal counsel, and teachers, comes a first-hand story of his ""unusual mind.""They recall the early days in the recording studio, playing the instrumental backup for Bob Marley and others, and the nights in the Rasta camps where musicians burned the midnight oil and more. They roam the halls of the primitive and haunting mental hospitals; remember the gyrations of his lover, Margarita, the Rumba Queen, as she tantalised audiences at Club Havana; tell what happened that tragic night when Drummond stabbed Margarita four times; reveal details of the trial (delayed more than a year as Drummond was ruled mentally unfit) and offer insights into the ways that Drummond likely died in the asylum at age 35.

"recommended"--Blues & Rhythm; "in this provocative and well-researched account, U.S. journalist Heather Augustyn aims to reach behind the myth of Don D, to place his life and work within their proper contexts...the book is a must-read for all ska fans, or anyone interested in Jamaican music in general"--Mojo: The Music Magazine; "Once again, author Heather Augustyn hits hard and deep...painstaking...Augustyn is to be commended for making this as thorough and complete as she was able to do"--PopDose.com.

Heather Augustyn is a correspondent for The Times of Northwest Indiana, the state’s second largest newspaper. Her work has appeared in numerous national and international publications, including The Village Voice, In These Times and The Humanist. She lives in Chesterton, Indiana.