Beres Hammond

Hugh Beresford Hammond was born August 28, 1955, in Annotto Bay, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, the ninth of ten children. He grew up listening to American soul singers alongside Jamaican ska and rocksteady, influences that shaped his signature blend of soul phrasing with reggae rhythm.

Hammond joined the band Zap Pow as lead singer in 1975 while simultaneously building a solo career from his 1976 debut album Soul Reggae. He returned to Jamaica around 1990 and signed with Donovan Germain's Penthouse Records; his dancehall-inflected love song "Tempted to Touch" became his signature international hit, earning him the nickname "King of Lovers Rock."

Across a five-decade career, Hammond has released a large catalog including One Love, One Life (2012) and Never Ending (2018), both No. 1 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. He received Grammy nominations for Best Reggae Album in 2002 and 2014 but has never won the award despite widespread acclaim. In 2013 he was awarded the Order of Jamaica.

Beres Hammond is widely regarded within Jamaican music as one of the greatest vocalists reggae has produced and the definitive voice of lovers rock. He built his following largely through consistent live performance rather than pop crossover hits, giving him an unusually devoted, multi-generational fan base, and remains an active touring artist as of 2026.