Dandy Livingstone

Country: Jamaica

Dandy Livingstone Dandy Livingstone, born Robert Livingstone Thompson on 14 December 1943, is a British-Jamaican musician, singer, and record producer known for ska, rocksteady, and reggae. He is best remembered for his 1972 hit "Suzanne Beware of the Devil" and his song "Rudy, a Message to You," which later became a hit for the Specials. "Suzanne Beware of the Devil" reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and number 78 in Australia. Early Life and Career At age 15, Livingstone moved from Jamaica to London to live with his mother. He first entered the music industry as a record salesman. His first recordings were released without his knowledge on the Planetone label, and he later created the vocal duo “Sugar & Dandy” by double-tracking his own voice. This produced his first hit, “What a Life,” which sold 25,000 copies. Recording and Production Work In 1967, Livingstone signed with Ska Beat Records and released his debut album, Rocksteady with Dandy. In 1968, he moved into production and formed the duo Dandy & Audrey with Audrey Hall. He produced the Marvels’ debut album and hit singles such as Nicky Thomas’ “Suzanne Beware of the Devil” and Tony Tribe’s “Red Red Wine.” He also collaborated with trombonist Rico Rodriguez, producing singles under the name Rico & the Rudies. Livingstone signed to Trojan Records in 1968, releasing albums Follow That Donkey and Dandy Returns. Trojan also created the subsidiary labels Down Town Records and J-Dan to release his music. He lived in Jamaica until 1973 before returning to the UK, where he released the single “Black Star” and the album Conscious. Later Life Livingstone remained a key figure in ska and reggae, although he performed less frequently. In 2011, it was announced that he would appear at the 2012 London International Ska Festival,…

Early Life and Career
At age 15, Livingstone moved from Jamaica to London to live with his mother. He first entered the music industry as a record salesman. His first recordings were released without his knowledge on the Planetone label, and he later created the vocal duo “Sugar & Dandy” by double-tracking his own voice. This produced his first hit, “What a Life,” which sold 25,000 copies.

Recording and Production Work
In 1967, Livingstone signed with Ska Beat Records and released his debut album, Rocksteady with Dandy. In 1968, he moved into production and formed the duo Dandy & Audrey with Audrey Hall. He produced the Marvels’ debut album and hit singles such as Nicky Thomas’ “Suzanne Beware of the Devil” and Tony Tribe’s “Red Red Wine.” He also collaborated with trombonist Rico Rodriguez, producing singles under the name Rico & the Rudies.

Livingstone signed to Trojan Records in 1968, releasing albums Follow That Donkey and Dandy Returns. Trojan also created the subsidiary labels Down Town Records and J-Dan to release his music. He lived in Jamaica until 1973 before returning to the UK, where he released the single “Black Star” and the album Conscious.

Later Life
Livingstone remained a key figure in ska and reggae, although he performed less frequently. In 2011, it was announced that he would appear at the 2012 London International Ska Festival, marking a return after over 40 years, though he did not perform.

Dandy Livingstone’s work as both a singer and producer played a significant role in shaping early UK ska and rocksteady, influencing later generations of artists.