One of the few Jamaican singers to truly bridge the gap between the roots and dancehall reggae styles is the man known as Everton "Blender." When reggae fans hear the opening notes of "Lift Up Your Head," "Ghetto People Song," "Blend Dem," etc., they instantly recognize these songs as the cultural anthems of our time. The large number of hits Everton has accrued is most impressive for an artist who has been in the business for such a seemingly short period of time. But like many of Jamaica's biggest musical stars, the road to fame wasn't a short or easy one. Everton Williams was born in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, but grew up in Kingston 13 on Maxfield Avenue. ...show more

One of the few Jamaican singers to truly bridge the gap between the roots and dancehall reggae styles is the man known as Everton "Blender." When reggae fans hear the opening notes of "Lift Up Your Head," "Ghetto People Song," "Blend Dem," etc., they instantly recognize these songs as the cultural anthems of our time. The large number of hits Everton has accrued is most impressive for an artist who has been in the business for such a seemingly short period of time. But like many of Jamaica's biggest musical stars, the road to fame wasn't a short or easy one. Everton Williams was born in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, but grew up in Kingston 13 on Maxfield Avenue.

Everton worked as a painter, construction worker, and decorator, but he realized that the strong chemicals he was working with were not good for his voice or his health in general. With divine help and direction, he decided to leave his job to pursue a singing career. In 1980, he met Phyllis Thompson (who would later become his wife), and moved back to Clarendon. In 1985, Everton and Phyllis' first child, Isha, was born.

Although Everton had recorded a handful of singles for various producers, he had yet to score with a hit on the island. But that was all about to change in 1991 he voiced the autobiographical "Create a Sound." The song described Everton's experiences in the music business and with the Rasta faith. It was released the following year on the Star Trail label, and it was Everton Blender's first hit. Everton continued to record for Star Trail, who had a distribution deal with Heartbeat Records. ...show less