BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY
Bunny Rugs
| Bunny Rugs | |
|---|---|
Pictured in 2009
| |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Alexander Anthony Clarke |
| Also known as | Bunny Scott |
| Born | 6 February 1948 Mandeville, Jamaica |
| Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Died | 2 February 2014 (aged 65) Orlando, Florida, United States |
| Genres | Reggae |
| Years active | Mid-1960s–2014 |
| Associated acts | Charlie Hackett and the Souvenirs Inner Circle Hugh Hendricks and the Buccaneers The Bluegrass Experience Bunny & Ricky Third World |
William Alexander Anthony "Bunny Rugs" Clarke (6 February 1948 – 2 February 2014), also known as Bunny Scott, was the lead singer of Jamaican reggae band Third World as well as recording as a solo artist. He began his career in the mid-1960s and was also at one time a member of Inner Circle and half of the duo Bunny & Ricky.
Biography
Born in Mandeville and raised on John's Lane in Kingston, Clarke's father was an Anglican preacher.[1] He joined Charlie Hackett and the Souvenirs, the resident band at the Kittymat Club on Maxfield Avenue, in the mid-1960s before leading the early line-up of Inner Circle in 1969.[2] A spell living in New York City followed from 1971 where he was a member of the dance band Hugh Hendricks and the Buccaneers, and later the Bluegrass Experience with Glen Adams, Eric Frater and Sparrow Martin.[1][3] He returned to Jamaica in 1974 and recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark, initially as a backing singer, then with Leslie Kong's nephew Ricky Grant as the duo Bunny & Ricky, releasing singles such as "Freedom Fighter" and "Bushweed Corntrash", and also recording the solo album To Love Somebody (1975, credited as Bunny Scott).[1] He was also a member of The Wild Bunch before returning to New York and taking over as lead singer of Third World from Milton "Prilly" Hamilton in 1976.[3] With Third World he recorded the successful 96° in the Shade album, and was with the band until his death in early 2014[3] He returned to the Black Ark in 1977, contributing backing vocals (with Earl 16) to Yabby You's "Chant Down Babylon Kingdom".[1]
As well as performing and recording with Third World, he continued to record as a solo artist, releasing the Jack Scorpio-producedTalking to You album in 1995, with guest contributions from Papa San, Cobra and General Trees.[3][4]
His planned 2008 album Thinking Bout You was due to be released on 6 February, to coincide with Bob Marley Day celebrations, the date also being Clarke's birthday.[5] He contributed to the Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band album in 2009, contributing a version of "Lovely Rita" recorded with U-Roy.
In 2012 he released the single "Land We Love", with profits going to the charities the Jamaican Children's Heart Fund (the charity for which he was a spokesman) and Chain of Hope.[6] The single was taken from the album Time, released in September 2012.[6][7]Later that year he received a Caribbean American Heritage Award for Outstanding Contribution to Reggae.[8]
Health problems forced him to miss some of the shows on Third World's fortieth anniversary tour in 2013, and he confirmed that he had been diagnosed with cancer.[9] In early 2014 he was hospitalised in Orlando, Florida, where he was treated for leukaemia, and died on 2 February at the age of 65.[9][10][11] A memorial service later that month included tributes from Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna, opposition culture spokesperson Olivia Grange, and former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.[12] He is survived by his wife and eight children.[13]
Clarke explained that his 'Bunny Rugs' nickname came from his grandmother calling him 'Bunny' as a child because he would "jump around the house like a rabbit" and from a member of the Third World road crew calling him 'Rugs' because of his liking for sleeping on the floor.[14]
Discography
Albums
- To Love Somebody (1975), Klik – as Bunny Scott
- Talking to You (1995), Greensleeves/Shanachie
- Bunny Rugs on Soul (2000), DFP Music
- What a World (2006), Elite Music Group
- I'm Sure (2007), CED
- Time (2012), VPAL
- Compilations
- Timeless Classics (2011)
Singles
- "Let Love Touch Us Now"/"I Am I Said" (1982), Black Ark International – 12-inch, credited as 'Bunny Rags'
- "Be Thank Full" (19??), Belleville International
- "War, War, War" (198?), Black Scorpio
- "Bridges Instead" (1990), Two Friends – 12-inch, Shabba Ranks featuring Bunny Rugs
- "Here Comes Rudie" (1991), Exterminator – Gregory Isaacs & Bunny Rugs
- "Rude Boy" (1991), Xterminator – Tony Rebel, Gregory Isaacs, and Bunny Rugs
- "If I Follow My Heart" (1993), Tuff Gong
- "I'm The Ghetto" (1993), Leggo
- "Stand By Me" (1994), Shanachie – Bunny Rugs & Papa San
- "Stand By Me" (1994), Black Scorpio – Papa San & Bunny Rugs, B-side of Papa San's "Girls Every Day"
- "Now That We've Found Love" (1995), Greensleeves – 12-inch
- "Now That We Found Love" (1995), Black Scorpio – featuring Sean Paul
- "Now That We Found Love" (1995), Shanachie
- "Apartheid No!"
- "I'll Be There" (2002), Joe Frasier
- "What a World" (2004), Raw Edge
- "Marcus Garvey" (2004), Mister Tipsy
- "Writings on the Wall" (2005), Elogic Music Group – Wayne Marshall & Bunny Rugs
- "Now That We've Found Love" (2006), CED – CD maxi single
- "World Today" (2007), Hyper-Active Entertainment
- "Down in the Ghetto" (2007), Taxi – Bounty Killer & Bunny Rugs
- "Satamassagana" (20??), Coptic Lion – featuring Tappa Zukie
- Excerpts from the album Time EP (2011)
- "Big May" (2012), Black Swan/Trojan
- "Land We Love" (2012)
- With Bunny & Ricky
- "Freedom Fighter" (1974), Black Art
- "Bushweed Corntrash" (1975), Black Art
- With Marcia Griffiths
- "Really Together" (2010), Marcia Griffiths and Friends
- "Sense Of Purpose" (2010), Marcia Griffiths and Friends
- "It's Not Funny" (2010), Marcia Griffiths and Friends
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