A multi-talented musician whose repertoire includes vocalist, song writer, performer, arranger, band leader, guitarist and producer, Marcus Yabba Griffiths was born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, and from age 11 he lived in Kingston. A member of the vocal group, Gold Tones, Griffiths recorded a single entitled “Girl Exposer” for Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle Label, and caught the attention of Rendford Cogle (songwriter for the Melodians). Cogle wrote “Lock Love Away” for Griffiths to sing on Sonia Pottinger’s Hi-Note label and, in 1969, the song went to #8 on the Top Ten charts in Jamaica. This same year he recorded a song for Clancy Eccles, “Don’t Break The Heart That Love You,” and later re-recorded the song – and another which was never released – for Clement “Coxsone” Dodd of Studio One.

Moving from singing to playing quitar as a studio musician, Griffiths worked with the great musicians and singers of Jamaica – Bunny Wailer, Soul Syndicate, Gregory Isaacs, Roots Radics, Carlton and Family Man Barrett, Winston Wright, Lynn Taitt, Jackie Mittoo, Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar, The Tamlins, Bobby Colphat, and many others.

Griffiths joines Charles Hannah and The Graduates in 1972, and 1974 found him touring Jamaica with Solid Foundation. During this time, he recorded the first version of his big hit, “Devil Woman,” featuring the Tamlins; Devil Woman was released as a single in the U.S. and U.K. in 1976 and captured “hit song” status in metropolitan New York and Chicago.

In 1976, he toured the U.S. with Big Youth and the band Creation. After the tour ended he joined the Black Eagles (now known as Morgan Heritage), then moved to New York City in 1977 to form Yahtova (God Love). Still based in New York, Griffiths, with Patrick “Shaka” Hochen, founded Traxx in 1979; Griffiths and Traxx relocated to Chicago, IL., in 1980, briefly joining forces with Aligator Records.