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Keith Richards and Black Uhuru’s 1979 Collaboration
In 1979 Keith Richards wasn’t exactly sticking to the Stones’ playbook—he turned up in Kingston, slipped into Channel OneStudios, and ended up jamming with Black Uhuru while reggae was rewriting itself in real time. Produced by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, the sessions feel like a controlled collision: Richards’ gritty guitar cutting through deep, bass-heavy grooves that don’t ask for permission. Most of the tracks stayed tucked away, except Shine Eye Gal, which quietly escaped into circulation. The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards didn’t just flirt with reggae here—he got pulled into its engine room, where rules were optional.
January 1979: Keith Richards records a small batch of tracks with the reggae group Black Uhuru at Channel One Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, a setting deeply tied to the island’s evolving sound system culture. The sessions were produced by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, two of reggae’s most influential rhythm architects, whose tight, bass-heavy production style shaped the overall feel of the recordings. Among the material laid down—Beast, Dirty Harry, Oh What A Joy and Shine Eye Gal—only the last one was officially released. It later appeared on Black Uhuru’s Showcase album, which wasd out in the same year, marking a rare but notable crossover moment between Keith Richards’ rock background and the raw pulse of Jamaican reggae (plus 7″ and 12″ versions) and then in the Black Uhuru (1980) and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner albums, the latter released in 1983.
Keith Richards and reggae
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni Keith Richards’ connection with the reggae group Black Uhuru is an intriguing chapter in his musical journey. In the early 1980s, Richards, known for his rock-and-roll persona with The Rolling Stones, explored reggae influences, which led him to work with the Jamaican band. His interest in reggae music, a genre that had captivated him for years, brought him into the studio with Black Uhuru during the recording of their album Red in 1981. Richards played guitar on the track Shine Eye Gal, which helped bridge the worlds of rock and reggae, creating a unique fusion of sounds.
Keith Richards’ Reggae Journey with Black Uhuru (1979 Sessions)
Richards had long admired reggae legends like Bob Marley, and his collaboration with Black Uhuru allowed him to contribute to a genre that he respected deeply. His guitar work on the track was distinctive, adding a touch of his rock roots to the reggae beat. The collaboration also reflected Richards’ willingness to explore new musical landscapes beyond his established sound with The Rolling Stones. This connection with Black Uhuru wasn’t just a one-time affair. It demonstrated Keith Richards’ versatility as a musician and his genuine appreciation for different musical traditions. Through this partnership, Richards not only expanded his musical horizons but also contributed to a cross-pollination of rock and reggae, two genres that would continue to influence each other in years to come. He was also no stranger to reggae within The Rolling Stones themselves, having already explored reggae and calypso-inflected rhythms with the band earlier in the decade, notably from the 1974 track Luxury onwards, which leaned more toward a Caribbean-inspired groove than straight reggae, but clearly pointed in that direction stylistically.
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