The Pioneers

The Pioneers are a Jamaican reggae, soul, and rocksteady vocal trio whose main period of success was in the 1960s, though they have continued to perform in various line-ups. The group was formed in 1962 by brothers Sydney and Derrick Crooks and their friend Winston Hewitt. Their early recordings, including Good Nanny and I’ll Never Come Running Back to You, were self-produced at Treasure Isle studio. After Hewitt emigrated to Canada in 1966, the group briefly disbanded, with Sydney promoting concerts and Derrick taking a job outside music. In 1967, Sydney Crooks revived the group by recruiting Jackie Robinson, who became the lead singer, and the new line-up scored hits with singles such as Longshot, Jackpot, Catch the Beat, and Pan Yu Machete. The trio later added George Agard, forming what became the classic line-up. Their 1969 hit Long Shot (Kick De Bucket), inspired by the death of a racehorse, became an instant success and established their popularity in the UK. Other UK hits included Let Your Yeah Be Yeah and Give and Take, leading the group to relocate to Britain in 1970. Throughout the 1970s, The Pioneers experimented with soul music, collaborating with Eddy Grant on the album Feel the Rhythm, but the style change met with limited success. The group split and reformed several times, with notable revivals in 1979 and 1999. Their music has been celebrated and covered by other artists, including The Specials and UB40, and their songs have appeared in films such as The Wackness. The Pioneers continue to perform internationally, with Jackie Robinson and George Dekker representing the group at events like the 2023 London International Ska Festival.