Count Ossie, born Oswald Williams (26 March 1926[1] – 18 October 1976[2]), was a Jamaican Rastafari drummer and band leader.

Their first sound recordings were made after meeting Prince Buster, who produced a Wareikas-backed song by the Folkes Brothers, "Oh Carolina", done at the Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) Studios in 1959.

[8] Several singles as Count Ossie and the Wareikas, including "African Shuffle" as well as "Chubby" and "Rock a Man Soul" with vocal group The Mellow Cats, were produced by Harry Mudie circa 1961 featuring saxophonist Ferdinand 'Bobby' Gaynair and trombonist Rico Rodriguez, and were released on the Jamaican label Moodies at the time (some were licensed to Emil Shalit's UK label Blue Beat and released in England in the early 1960s).

[citation needed] Several Jamaican artists also used Ossie's group as percussionists for their own ska and reggae recordings, such as a couple of King Stitt singles, including "Be a Man" (Studio One) circa 1969.

[citation needed] Count Ossie issued two outstanding albums at the end of his lifetime and inspired several later Rastafarian drumming groups, including Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus, who recorded with Bob Marley.