Birth name Errol Thompson Years active 1960s–1980s Associated acts Joe Gibbs | Role Record producer Also known as ET Name Errol Thompson | |
Born December 29, 1948 ( 1948-12-29 ) Albums The Black Foundation in Dub Similar People Joe Gibbs, King Tubby, Ranking Joe, Leroy Wallace, Peter Tosh | ||
Errol Thompson (December 29, 1948 – November 13, 2004), better known as "ET", was a record producer, audio engineer, and one of the first studio engineers to be involved in dub music.
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Career
Thompson gained studio experience at Studio One, working alongside Joe Gibbs. He went on to work for Bunny Lee and in the 1970s he worked (along with Niney) as an engineer at Randy's Studio 17, in Kingston, Jamaica. Thompson engineered the first instrumental reggae album, The Undertaker by Derrick Harriott and the Crystallites' released in 1970.
He went on to work with Joe Gibbs from 1975. Gibbs and Thompson were known collectively as the Mighty Two. Together they produced music by Junior Byles, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Althea and Donna, Prince Far I, and Eek-A-Mouse, before their partnership ended in 1983 when Gibbs relocated to Miami.
Thompson also engineered tracks by Bob Marley, The Abyssinians, Augustus Pablo, Big Youth, Culture, Yellowman, Frankie Paul and Burning Spear. In addition, he produced work by I-Roy, Cornell Campbell, Freddie McGregor and Barrington Levy. Thompson also worked with producer, Clive Chin. His final project, the "Hard Times Riddim", co-produced with Stephen Gibson, son of partner Joe Gibbs, was instrumental in creating a resurgence in dancehall. The album included many key reggae performers of the time including, Capleton, I Wayne, Richie Spice, Chuck Fenda and Luciano.
Later in life, he moved away from the music industry and managed a supermarket in North Parade, downtown Kingston. Thompson died, after numerous strokes, on November 13, 2004, at the age of 55.