Bobby Davis

The Sensations singer Bobby Davis dies at 77

 

He was not on the list.

Harold “Bobby” Davis, a founding member of The Sensations, died on April 21 at his home in London, England. He was 77 years-old.

Anthony “Chips” Richards, his friend of over 50 years, told the Jamaica Observer that Davis had suffered “complex health issues” in the last four years.

The singer, who was born in Kingston, moved to the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. Prior to migration, he organised artiste auditions at the Treasure Isle recording studio of producer Duke Reid and recorded with The Sensations.

Davis, along with Jackie Parris, Cornel Campbell, Buster Riley, Jimmy Riley and Rad Bryan, were members at different stages of the group. He sang on some of their biggest hit songs including Born to Love You, Everyday is A Holiday and Those Guys.

Bryan, who became a session guitarist at Channel One and with Sly and Robbie’s Taxi Gang during the 1970s, remembers Davis as, “A cool dude” who “took his craft seriously”.

Davis was part of a team that travelled to the UK in 1972 to promote Double Barrel, a big hit song by Dave Barker and Ansel Collins.

Following the Double Barrel shows, Davis, Barker and guitarist Trevor “Trevor Star” Brown settled permanently in the United Kingdom, and became key members of that country’s reggae community.

A committed member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Davis recorded several inspirational songs with his wife, Paulette. He also recorded Heaven Must Have Sent You Baby with The Marvels.

He is survived by five children and several grandchildren.

– Howard Campbell