2. Earl “Chinna” Smith
Playing for bands like The Soul Syndicate, The Aggrovators, The Upsetters, and even the Wailers, Earl “Chinna” Smith has been one of the hardest working guitarists from the days of ska to reggae. You can hear his guitar riff stand out on “None Shall Escape The Judgement,” a song that was originally written and recorded by his friend Earl Zero, but redone and became a hit by Johnny Clarke (after producer Bunny Lee lost Zero’s original vocal). For his own label, High Times, he produced seminal hits with artists such as Freddie McGregor and Mutabaruka. “Chinna” is even credited by Gyptian as the man who formally introduced him to music.