Lee Gopthal
Lee Gopthal | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lehman Serikeesna Gopthal 1 March 1938 |
| Died | 29 August 1997 (aged 59) London, England |
| Nationality | Jamaican-British |
| Occupation(s) | Record label owner, accountant |
| Known for | Co-founding Trojan Records |
Lehman Serikeesna Gopthal (1 March 1938 – 29 August 1997), known as Lee Gopthal, was a
Life and career
He was born in
By the early 1960s, he was representing Jamaican record producer
Gopthal also set up Pyramid Records, and, in 1967, co-founded Trojan Records with Chris Blackwell. The Trojan Records label licensed a succession of Jamaican recordings supplied by producers such as Duke Reid, Clancy Eccles, Lee Perry, Harry J, and Leslie Kong. Gopthal achieved commercial success releasing chart singles including Desmond Dekker's 1969 hit "Israelites" (on Pyramid), as well as records by Dandy Livingstone, Harry J's Allstars, the Pioneers, and the Upsetters. Chris Blackwell left Trojan in 1972, and Gopthal sold the label in 1974. The Musicland and Muzik City stores closed by 1977.[4] Gopthal continued to have a limited involvement in the record industry until the late 1970s, when he returned to a career in insurance.[2][5]
He died in 1997, aged 59. In 2020, he was posthumously recognised for his work by the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA).[5]
References
- ^ a b "108 Cambridge Road", Metroland Cultures. Retrieved 3 August 2021
- ^ a b c Biography, AllMusic. Retrieved 3 August 2021
- ^ "Lee Gopthal", British Record Store Archive. Retrieved 3 August 2021
- ^ a b "Muzik City", British Record Store Archive. Retrieved 3 August 2021
- ^ a b Howard Campbell, "Gopthal hailed for Trojan work", Jamaica Observer, 11 February 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2021