Earl Zero

Born 1953 in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Johnson was the eldest of ten children, his father a fisherman and his mother a fishmonger.[1] Zero began his career in the 1970s, first as a member of the group Rush-It with his childhood friend Earl "Chinna" Smith, who recorded for producer Bunny Lee, who gave him the name 'Earl Zero' to distinguish him from Smith.[2][3] His recording of his song "None Shall Escape the Judgement" went unreleased but it was a hit for Johnny Clarke when recorded by the singer in 1974,[4] and Zero first had success as a singer himself with the Al Campbell-produced "Righteous Works" in 1975.[3] He recorded for Don Mais' Roots Tradition label (recording "Home Sweet Home" and "I No Lie"),[1] and joined Tommy Cowan's Talent Corporation roster, and had further success with "Please Officer" and "City of the Weak Heart", released on Cowan's Arab label,[4] the latter also recorded by Jacob Miller on his Killer Miller album.[3] In 1976 he moved on to work with Bertram Brown, recording "Get Happy", and again recorded with Campbell on "Heart Desire".[3] He continued recording through the late 1970s, recording with Soul Syndicate.[3] His first two albums, Visions of Love and In the Right Way, were released in 1979.[1]

In 1979 he relocated to northern California, and continued to record since, with several albums released.[5] His latest album is Marketplace, to be released in Spring 2011 with producer Siahvash Dowlatshahi. The album features members of the Roots Radics, The Greyboy Allstars, The Devastators and others.

• Visions of Love (1979), Epiphany
• In the Right Way aka Only Jah Can Ease the Pressure (1979), Freedom Sounds/Student
• Roots & Romance (2007)
• And God Said to Man (2009), A-Lone
• Marketplace (2011), Foreign Key Records
• Earl Zero Meets Sideway' 'Big Fisherman In Dub' (2020), Sideway Outernational Records

• Official website
• Earl Zero at Roots Archives
• Foreign Key Records