Patrick Murray, better known by his stage name Pato Banton, is a renowned reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. Born on January 28, 1961, he received the nickname Pato Banton from his stepfather, with the first name deriving from the sound of a Jamaican owl calling "patoo, patoo" and the second name coming from the disc jockey slang word "banton," meaning heavyweight lyricist or storyteller.
Pato Banton first gained public attention in the early 1980s when he collaborated with The Beat. He recorded "Pato and Roger a Go Talk" with Ranking Roger, which was featured on the 1982 album Special Beat Service. He went on to release a series of singles for Fashion Records and Don Christie Records. In 1985, he appeared as a guest artist on the UB40 album Baggariddim.
Banton's debut album, Mad Professor Captures Pato Banton, was released in 1985 and was produced by Mad Professor. The album was followed by Never Give In in 1987, which included a collaboration with Paul Shaffer and a follow-up to his earlier collaboration with Ranking Roger with "Pato and Roger Come Again." In 1988, he released an EP, and then a more pop-oriented LP, Visions of the World, in 1989.
In 1990, Banton released Wize Up! (No Compromise),which included a college radio hit in Spirits in the Material World (The Police cover) and another collaboration, "Wize Up!", this time with David Hinds of Steel Pulse. He then worked on a live album with Mad Professor and released 1992's Universal Love.
The album featured a song covered by Banton called "United We Stand," which was written by fellow Birmingham musician Ray Watts, of the group Beshara. After a 1994 British number one hit with "Baby Come Back" (originally by Eddy Grant performing with The Equals) with Robin and Ali Campbell of UB40, a best-of album was released, and Banton was invited by Sting to join him on his "This Cowboy Song" single.
His collaboration with Reggae Revolution on a reinterpolation of the Young Rascals single "Groovin'" reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart in July and became a major hit in New Zealand, reaching number four on the RIANZ Singles Chart and staying in the top 20 for nine weeks. It was the country's 47th best-selling single of the year, received a Gold sales certification for selling over 5,000 copies, and was featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 film Kazaam and 1998 hit Disney remake The Parent Trap.
In 1996, Banton released Stay Positive, credited to Pato Banton & The Reggae Revolution, which was followed by Life Is a Miracle in 2000. Life Is a Miracle received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album in the 2001 Grammy Awards.
