Joe Gibbs was born in Salt Springs, St James in Jamaica in 1942. He studied electronics in Cuba and from there worked for "Stone and Webster" in Montego Bay Jamaica. Next he moved to Kingston and opened an electronic repair shop in Beeston street. This is where Joe Gibbs became involved in the burgeoning music scene. Setting up a small two-track recorder in the back room of his shop working with Lee Perry who had been schooled by Clement Coxsone Dodds. Also aided by Bunny Lee he set-up Amalgamated records in 1966. His first sucess came with Hold them by Roy Shirley.
Lee Perry parted company to set up his own label Upsetter Joe replaced him as producer with the Talents of Winston Holness aka Niney the Observer. Together they maintained a good grip on the local record charts. Artists like "the Pioneers", "Errol Dunkley" and "Ken Parker" all recorded with Joe & Winston.
In 1968 rocksteady changed to reggae and the genre brought Joe his first international hit with the UK charting Love of the common people by Nicky Thomas it was adopted as a soundtrack for the English skinhead reggae scene. Encouraged by this Joe went onto reintroduce the rocksteady artists as serious contenders in the reggae scene. People like "The Ethiopeans", "Delroy Wilson", "the Heptones" among others. He released two compilations of "best of" singles collections as "The Heptones & friends" which consolidated his grip on the charts.
He then launched three new labels:- Jogib,Shock & Pressure beat. In 1972 he moved the studio to the Duhaney Park district from there he relocated to Retirement Crescent in Kingston's Cross Roads district. It was here that he started working with Errol Thompson aka Errol T. Together they were known as the "Mighty two" and produced some of the most sublime dub tracks when Joe Gibbs set up a 16 track studio and record pressing plant at Retirement Crescent. This was in 1975 and he celebrated by launching the labels:- Crazy joe, Belmont, reflections & Town & Country. Always an innovator he recorded Roots music, Rockers, Lovers and dub with artists such as "Dennis Brown", "Marcia Aitken", "Althea & Donna", "John Holt", "Barrington Levy" & many others. The 1977 album "Two sevens clash" by Culture was acclaimed by British Punk Rock band "the Clash" Dub became a significant counterpoint to the rabid assault of punk rock.
Sadly Joe Gibbs died of a heart attack on the 22nd of february in 2008, he is survived by his twelve children born out of wedlock. As Joe always refused to get married.