The Ethiopians were one of Jamaica’s seminal harmony groups during the late ska, rocksteady and formative reggae periods. Responsible for a significant number of hits between the mid-1960s and early 1970s, the group was also one of the first Jamaican acts to perform widely in Britain. Leonard Dillon’s heavily Rastafarian-influenced lyrics also paved the way for the socially conscious roots reggae era that was to come. The success of ‘Train to Skaville’ saw the group enter the UK Top 40, and led to two tours of Britain in 1968 and 1969. Much of the groups output was released on the Jamaican label WIRL and the British label Doctor Bird which would later be bought by Trojan Records.