i was reading a review of a dekker compilation and the author made the observation that "even the mediocre is pretty good." i've been on a big dekker kick lately and haven't been able to get enough...a couple months too late but RIP Desmond Dacres
from wikipediaDesmond Dekker (July 16, 1941 – May 25, 2006), was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer and songwriter. Together with his backing group, The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with “Israelites”. Other hits include “007 (Shanty Town)” (1967) and “It Mek” (1968). Before the ascent of Bob Marley, Dekker was the best-known Jamaican musician outside of his country, and one of the most popular within it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Dekker