A charming master of unforgettable melodies, Alton Ellis was the smoothest voice of the rocksteady era. Joining the legendary Studio One label in the late '50s, Ellis started his career as a heartbreaking R&B balladeer, and there's more than a little classic American soul and gospel in his passionate crooning. While he recorded a string of infectious ska songs in the early '60s, Ellis is best known for his rocksteady classics, which dropped the tempo of ska to a romantic sway that was perfect for grooving in the dancehall, and he continued to record silky hits once reggae hit the scene.