Screwdriver

Dalton Lindo, known as Screwdriver, is a Jamaican reggae artist born in 1960 in Saint James Parish. He began his musical career in the mid-1980s after moving to Kingston, where he was encouraged by Beres Hammond. Influenced by artists like Tenor Saw, Pinchers, Pliers, and Spanner Banner, Screwdriver started recording in 1986 and gained early hits with songs such as We Rule, Soundboy Killa, Family Counsellor, and Here I Come. His major breakthrough came in 1989 with the Jamaican number one single No Mama (Sharon Yuh Pregnant?), which was popular throughout the Caribbean and led to tours in Canada and the United States, eventually prompting him to settle in Florida in the early 1990s. Throughout the 1990s, Screwdriver continued to release hits like Reggae on Broadway, Teach Dem, and HIV, and began blending hip hop and R&B with dancehall, notably on his 1995 album Calling Calling. He self-produced Let Me Remind You in 1996 and contributed to John Holt’s 1997 album All Night Long. His next album, Prophecy, released in 2001, showcased his versatility, mixing ska, jazz, and merengue alongside reggae. Screwdriver continued innovating in the 2000s, releasing Road Block in 2007, which updated his hit No Mama as Sherron, and later albums Child of the Universe (2009) and African Union (2013). He also engaged in socially conscious music, writing Jah Send Him Come in support of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign after initially offering it to Luciano. Screwdriver’s career is marked by a consistent evolution in style, blending traditional reggae with contemporary influences while maintaining a Caribbean sound.