Born Clive Bright (December 2, 1966) in Kingston Jamaica, better known as Tenor Saw, and his contributions to the dancehall and reggae music scene in the 1980s.  As a youth he sang on his church choir while living in Olympic Garden. It’s clear that Tenor Saw had a significant impact on the genre and left a lasting legacy. With his unique vocals, Saw was one of the most influential singers of the early dancehall era. Starving for an opportunity to become an established artist, he finally got his break after meeting producer George Phang. The connection introduced Saw’s first single “Roll Call” in 1984 on the Powerhouse label.  His Winston Riley (techniques) produced hit song “Ring the Alarm” on the “Stalag” riddim remains one of his most well-known works and biggest hit. He was influence by his friend Nitty Gritty to continue putting out great songs. The two would collaborate with Sugar Minott from Youthman Promotion sound. The signature song came as a result of a 4 way sound clash in 1985, which Minott sound was victorious.  The four sounds were Black Scorpio, Arrows, Prince Jammy’s and Youthman promotion. Saw created history by jumping on the stage and demolished the other three sounds by singing “Ring the alarm, another sound is dying”.  Both Saw and Gritty would continue to dominate the reggae scene. Tenor Saw recorded a string of hits during dancehall’s digital era, cementing himself as one of its brightest stars. Those hits include Pumpkin Belly, Lots of Sign, Fever and Run Come Call Me. Saw would connect with King Jammy’s and continue his onslaught of hits. He was one of the biggest star on the “Sleng Teng”  riddim with “Pumpkin Belly”.  A riddim that brought forth Barry G vs. David Rodigan; one of the biggest radio clash in Jamaica’s history.

In 1986 he dropped “Golden Hen” and reconnected with Sugar Minott who produced his first album (Fever). Saw relocated to Florida at the time the album was released,  joining the “Skengdon” crew. Few people thought that he was too eager to chase foreign money and were fearful of him getting in wrongdoings.  Despite the outcome, he recorded “Dancehall Feeling” and “Bad Boys”. He recorded “Joncrow nuh Work On a Sunday” for Donovan Germain , before moving to New York, and recorded “Victory Train” for Freddie Mcgreggor. His last recording, “Chill Out Chill Out”, was a duet with General Doggie.

 It’s unfortunate to learn about his tragic death at the age of 21, with conflicting reports surrounding the circumstances. Reports stated that he was killed in Houston, Texas from a hit and run. Others believed he was murdered and an autopsy stated that cause of death was pneumonia. Despite the uncertainty about the events leading to his death, Tenor Saw’s influence continues to be acknowledged by fellow artists and music enthusiasts. Various tributes and references to Tenor Saw in songs, including those by Nitty Gritty, King Kong, and Super Cat, reflect the respect and admiration he garnered within the music community. Additionally, his impact extends to other genres, such as English Hip Hop and modern pop music, as evident in references by The Nextmen and the use of “Ring the Alarm” in Mark Ronson’s  docu-series. He was donned as a dubplate specialist as many sound selectors voiced him for specials and musical clashes. Youthman, David Rodigan, Metro Media, Silver Hawk and Killamanjarro were masters at killing sounds with exclusive dubs from Saw. Tenor Saw’s contributions to digital reggae and dancehall music have certainly left an indelible mark on the music landscape. Clive ‘Tenor Saw’ Bright is survived by his 26-year-old son, Justin, who lives in New York.