The Royals, a Jamaican roots reggae vocal group, were formed in 1964 by Roy Cousins. The initial lineup included Bertram Johnson and Errol Green, who later departed to be replaced by Errol Wilson. The Royals began recording in the mid-1960s for producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd Daley, and Coxsone Dodd, with their first release being "Never See Come See" (1968) for Joe Gibbs. After a hiatus, Cousins established his own labels, Tamoki, Wambesi, and Uhuru, releasing "Down Comes The Rain". In 1971, their re-recorded version of "Pick Up the Pieces" became popular and led to the release of their album Pick Up the Pieces in 1978. This success resulted in a deal with United Artists, leading to two more studio albums, Ten Years After (1978) and Israel Be Wise (1978). They recorded until the mid-1980s, with notable releases including Moving On (1983) and Dubbing with the Royals (2004).
