Don Carlos

Euvin Spencer aka Don Carlos (born June 29, 1952) was born and raised in the west Kingston ghetto known as Waterhouse. With his smooth and pleasant voice one could call him the Nat King Cole of Reggae. He was one of the pioneers along with Michael Rose, Junior Reid, and Barrington Levy with what was called the Waterhouse Sound.

His musical career began in 1965 with a recording at Federal Studios and was hitting hard in the 1970’s, with the rise of Channel One Studios (King Tubby, King Jammy) and the Revolutionaries (Sly and Robbie). Don Carlos and fellow Waterhouse singers Derrick “Ducky” Simpson, and Garth Dennis (Wailing Souls) would form the group Black Uhuru (Swahili for freedom) in 1972. Two years later the harmony trio would split up and Don would return to his solo career. It was the album Suffering in 1981 that took the music scene by storm and he would join up with good friend and co-writer Gold to produce such classic albums as Harvest Time, Ghetto Living, and Just A Pacing Glance. In 1983 at Hunters College in Manhattan, New York his international touring career began thanks to a local DJ Ken Williams who featured Don Carlos at a concert along with fellow Jamaican musicians Eek-A-Mouse and Chalice. Ducky Simpson would convince Don to take back the lead vocal chair for Black Uhuru and from 1989-1994 they would produce Now, Mystical Truths, Iron Storm, and Strong all Grammy nominated albums.

Returning once again to his solo career Don Carlos today is a well-known and respected singer with a deserving reputation as a very humble and kind person. His last solo record was released in 1997 and since that time his majical voice can be heard on two Groundation Releases; Hebron Gate (alongside Cedric “Congos” Myton) and We Free Again (with Apple Gabriel of Israel Vibration). To this day Don Carlos still lives in the heart of Kingston’s Waterhouse district.