John Holt started singing as a young boy, appearing in talent shows at age 12, and releasing his first single at the age of 16. Like many Jamaican singers of his generation, he was strongly influenced by American R&B, and his smooth, soulful crooning style caught on in a big way. He moved with the changes in the Jamaican music scene, from rocksteady with '60s group the Paragons, to reggae. Holt's '70s covers of American pop tunes made him both a seminal reggae performer and a crossover success. His first major visibility in the US came in the early '80s with Blondie's hit version of the Paragons' "The Tide is High," but he had already been hugely influential on the UK reggae scene for some time.