Country: England
Delroy Easton "Bitty" McLean (born 8 August 1972 in Birmingham, England) is a British reggae, lovers’ rock, and ragga singer known for his smooth vocals and reinterpretations of classic songs. Nicknamed "Bitty" for his small stature, he began performing with local sound systems as a teenager and later studied sound engineering in college. Early in his career, he worked with UB40 as an engineer and occasional vocalist. McLean achieved commercial success in the early 1990s with UK Top 10 hits, including "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)" and "Dedicated to the One I Love", with the former also topping charts in New Zealand and the Netherlands. He toured arenas supporting UB40, Wet Wet Wet, and Simply Red during this period. In the 2000s, McLean focused on studio albums that blended contemporary vocals with classic reggae rhythms. In 2004, he released On Bond Street KGN. JA., featuring his voice over vintage Treasure Isle rocksteady tracks. He collaborated extensively with Sly & Robbie, producing the 2007 album Movin’ On, and toured internationally with them in Japan, Europe, and Morocco. In 2013, he released The Taxi Sessions and also joined The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra on vocals, performing a cover of Desmond Dekker’s "Fu Man Chu" and appearing on Later… with Jools Holland. McLean has also been involved in music education and production projects. In 2017, he lectured on Jamaican music production techniques at Drexel University and began a soul music project with Reservoir. In 2018, he released Love Restart, produced with Sly & Robbie and Guillaume Bougard, featuring extended mixes and new tracks, which he promoted on a European tour. Following the death of Robbie Shakespeare in 2021, McLean shifted focus to a tribute album over riddims produced by Dunbar and Shakespeare, releasing the 11-track album in 2022.
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