Born Winston George Sparkes on September 17, 1940 in Kingston, Jamaica, King Stitt holds a distinctive place in the history of reggae. Widely regarded as the island’s first recorded deejay, his career helped establish the art of toasting and sound system performance as a central part of Jamaican music. Today would have marked his 85th birthday.
From “Count Stitt” to “King Stitt”
Sparkes acquired the nickname “Stitt” as a boy because of a childhood stutter—“stitch” in Jamaican patois. By the mid-1950s, he was a familiar figure on Kingston’s sound system circuit, joining Clement “Coxsone” Dodd’s Downbeat Sound System in 1956. His talent was first recognised by Count Machuki, Jamaica’s earliest deejay, who encouraged him to take the microphone after noticing his lively dancing.
In a 2013 interview with The Gleaner, later republished by Sound System Culture Magazine, Sparkes recalled working his way up through the ranks of the sound system—gradually progressing from the No.4 set to the main deck—before establishing himself as one of Downbeat’s top selectors. In 1963, Sparkes was crowned “King of the Deejays.” His trademark stutter had earned him the nickname Stitt as a child, and thus the king of deejays became “King Stitt.” Influenced by radio disc jockeys broadcasting from Miami and New Orleans, he brought a fresh rhythmic delivery to local dances. Born with a facial malformation, he turned what others saw as a limitation into a defining feature of his stage persona, proudly calling himself “The Ugly One” in reference to Sergio Leone’s film The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
Pioneering Recordings
Stitt made his recording breakthrough in the late 1960s with producer Clancy Eccles. Tracks such as Fire Corner (1969), Lee Van Cleef, Herbman Shuffle and Vigorton 2 showcased his commanding voice and lyrical improvisation, and became staples both in Jamaica and in the United Kingdom. Fire Corner opened with lines that reflected his bold, self-assertive style: “No matter what the people say … It’s the order of the day / From your boss deejay, I, King Stitt / Haul it from the top to the very last drop.”
Herbman Shuffle itself emerged from a moment of studio spontaneity. Stitt reportedly helped himself to a spliff and began chanting phrases like “Smoking is a habit … Drag it! Crab it!”, turning a casual moment into one of his signature records. His first big hit came when Eccles put him on the rhythm of Shoobeedoo, and from there he became a recording star. This ability to improvise helped define his appeal and influenced generations of deejays who followed, including U-Roy, Dennis Alcapone and Big Youth.
His association with Coxsone Dodd continued into later decades, with Studio One releasing rare singles and compilations of his work. The 1990s saw the issue of Dancehall ’63, which featured Stitt deejaying over ska-era rhythms, and Reggae Fire Beat, a collection of hard-to-find singles. These releases reinforced his legacy as a pioneer of recorded Jamaican deejay music.
International Recognition
King Stitt’s style resonated far beyond Jamaica. In Britain, his music was embraced by mods and skinheads during the late 1960s and early 1970s, cementing his status as a cultural link between Jamaican sound system traditions and British youth movements. Later critics would emphasise his role as a direct forerunner to rap, grime and modern R&B, underlining how Jamaican deejay culture shaped global popular music.
When sound system work became less profitable—particularly as Coxsone Dodd turned his attention to recording—Stitt supplemented his income with construction jobs in Ocho Rios. His return to the studio came through producer Clancy Eccles, who, after hearing him toasting on Jack Ruby’s sound system, invited him back to Kingston to record. This contrast between his influence on Jamaican music and the struggle to make a living highlighted the harsh economic realities faced by many performers of the era.
Despite the challenges he faced, Stitt remained a respected figure in Jamaican music. Decades after his early successes, rising stars such as Buju Banton sought him out, with Banton featuring Stitt on the album Small Axe—a testament to the enduring regard he commanded in the contemporary dancehall scene. He was also honoured in documentaries like The Studio One Story and continued to appear on international stages, including the Legends of Ska concert in Toronto (2002) and the Garance Reggae Festival in France (2011).
Stitt’s Legacy
Stitt remained active well into his later years, continuing to work with Studio One and performing at select events through the 2000s. He even recorded new material in the 2000s, including The Original Ugly Man (2003) with Sly & Robbie and members of the I-Threes, and Zoot Suit Hipster (2002). His final overseas appearance came in 2011 at a festival in the city of São Luís, Brazil’s reggae capital, where he demonstrated his enduring charisma despite declining health.
He passed away from prostate cancer on January 31 2012, survived by his daughter. His funeral took place at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston, with burial at Dovecot Memorial Park.
As one of the first Jamaicans to transform live deejay performance into recorded music, King Stitt stands as a pioneer who gave voice and shape to a new art form. His career marked the transition from ska and rocksteady into reggae and dancehall, influencing not only Jamaican music but also sound system culture worldwide.
On what would have been his 86th birthday, King Stitt is remembered as one who transformed physical challenges that might have held him back into a defining strength. As an innovator and pioneer in the music space, he proved the deejay could be just as vital as the singer in shaping the sound and spirit of reggae. We salute King Stitt!
