Farewell, Boss Skinhead

Laurel Aitkin, who helped popularize Jamaican music in the UK and beyond, died age 78 in Leicester, England this past weekend.
Cuban-born Aitken began his recording career in 1957 in his father's homeland Jamaica and continued to produce hit ska singles throughout the 1960s. His double-A-side "Little Sheila" / "Boogie in my Bones" was the first single released on Chris Blackwell's Island Records.
Aitken eventually emigrated to Britain, where his hits helped foster musical unity among the Jamaican expatriate community.
Aitken's hits, and records he produced, also found a sizable audience among the white skinheads, earning him the nickname "Boss Skinhead."
Later, Aitken became one of the primary influences among the 2-Tone movement of the late 1970s. Bands such as the Specials, Madness and Bad Manners routinely name-checked Aitken, who gained yet another nickname -- "the Godfather of Ska."
Aitken, along with Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan and Dandy Livingstone, stood on the frontline of artists promoting Jamaican music in Britain (a development which helped ensure the popularity of reggae throughout the world).
Boss Skinhead will be missed.