In the heart of downtown Kingston, at 135 Orange Street, history was made in 1961 with the founding of Beverley’s Records, one of the most influential record labels in Jamaican music. The man behind the legacy was Leslie Kong, a Chinese-Jamaican businessman who originally ran an ice cream parlour and restaurant at that same location. But with a spark of inspiration and an ear for raw talent, Kong would soon transform Jamaican music forever.
The Birth of a Label
Leslie Kong had no background in music production, but that changed when a young Jimmy Cliff walked into Beverley’s Ice Cream Parlour in 1961 and convinced Kong to record him. The result was “Dearest Beverley,” Cliff’s first single, which led to the formation of Beverley’s Records as a fully-fledged label. Kong quickly realized the potential in the emerging Jamaican sound — a transition from ska to rocksteady and eventually to reggae.
135 Orange Street – Jamaica’s Music Mecca
The modest building at 135 Orange Street soon became a magnet for talent. Orange Street itself was already known as “Beat Street” — a hub for musicians, producers, and sound system operators — but Beverley’s Records stood out for its high-quality recordings, professional approach, and undeniable star power. The small studio behind the storefront became a breeding ground for some of Jamaica’s greatest talents.
Iconic Artists and Timeless Hits
Through the 1960s and into the early ’70s, Beverley’s Records became the launching pad for some of the most legendary artists in Jamaican music history:
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Jimmy Cliff – The label’s first star, with hits like “Hurricane Hattie” and “Miss Jamaica”
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Desmond Dekker – Discovered by Cliff and introduced to Kong, Dekker would record “Israelites” at Beverley’s, one of the first reggae songs to top the UK charts
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Toots and the Maytals – With Kong, they recorded classics like “Monkey Man” and “Pressure Drop”
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The Wailers – Before their Island Records fame, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer cut some of their earliest tracks at Beverley’s, including “Soul Shakedown Party” and “Caution”
Beverley’s studio sessions were supported by top session musicians, including the Beverley’s All Stars, a group that featured legends like Jackie Jackson, Winston Wright, and Gladstone Anderson.
A Pioneer of International Reggae
Leslie Kong had the foresight to take Jamaican music beyond its borders. He was one of the first producers to license Jamaican music to international labels, helping reggae break into the UK and U.S. markets long before it was a global phenomenon.
Through partnerships with labels like Trojan Records in the UK, Beverley’s hits made their way into clubs and homes across the world. The international success of Desmond Dekker’s “Israelites” in 1968 — recorded at Beverley’s — was a defining moment in reggae history.
A Lasting Legacy
Leslie Kong passed away suddenly in 1971, at just 37 years old, but in just a decade, he had built a musical empire from a tiny storefront on Orange Street. His production style was clean, rhythmically tight, and always had an ear for melody — a contrast to the rawer sounds of other studios.
The Beverley’s label closed shortly after Kong’s death, but the records made at 135 Orange Street remain some of the most cherished in Jamaican music history.
Final Thoughts
Beverley’s Records wasn’t just a label — it was a cultural powerhouse. From that small address in Kingston, the world was introduced to ska, rocksteady, and reggae in their purest, most powerful forms. Today, 135 Orange Street stands not only as a historic landmark but as a symbol of innovation, talent, and the explosive creativity of Jamaica in the 1960s. Beverley’s Records was the heartbeat of that era, and its rhythm still echoes through reggae music today.
