Chris Blackwell

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Chris Blackwell is the founder of independent record company Island Records, and has been a music industry mogul for over fifty years. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to which Blackwell was inducted in 2001, he is the single person most responsible for turning the world on to reggae music. Forming Island Records in Jamaica in 1959, Blackwell was amongst the first to record the Jamaican popular music that eventually became known as ska. Returning to Britain in 1962, he sold records from the back of his car to the Jamaican community. Backed by Stanley Borden from RKO Entertainment, Blackwell's business and reach grew substantially, and he went on to forge the careers of Bob Marley, Grace Jones and U2 amongst many other diverse high-profile acts. Blackwell is known for his laid-back approach to his business, and the care he shows for his artists and the release of their work