Gussie Clarke

Augustus "Gussie" Clarke (born 1954) is a reggae producer who worked with some of the top Jamaican reggae artists in the 1970s and later set up his own Music Works studio.

Career

In the late 1980s, Clarke adapted to the new dancehall style of reggae, but stood out from other producers by attempting to produce glossier recordings with greater potential to cross over internationally.

Get Ready and Gregory Isaacs' Red Rose For Gregory. The latter of the two included the successful "Rumours", the biggest hit on the island during the summer of 1988. J.C Lodge's "Telephone Love", using the same "Rumours" riddim, was the biggest reggae hit of the same year in the United States. This hit single led to Clarke producing a full-length album for Lodge in 1990 titled Selfish Lover, which saw her team up with Shabba Ranks on the duet "Hardcore Loving", and later again with Shabba Ranks on "Telephone Love Deh Pond Mi Mind" on his album Rappin' With The Ladies.

Many of Clarke's releases were issued on his own record labels Anchor and Music Works, as well on the Greensleeves, VP, Pow Wow and Shanachie labels.

Into the late 1990s Clarke working with artists such as Tiger, Lady G, Papa San, Cocoa Tea, Freddie McGregor, Maxi Priest, Aswad and Courtney Pine.

In October 2014 the Institute of Jamaica awarded Clarke a bronze Musgrave Medal for his contribution to music.

In August 2019 it was announced that Clarke would receive the Order of Distinction in the rank of commander (CD) from the Jamaican government in October that year.