Carlton "Carly" Barrett (17 December 1950 – 17 April 1987) was a Jamaican musician best known for being the long-time drummer for Bob Marley & The Wailers. Recognized for his innovative style, which featured a highly syncopated, broken triplet pattern on the high-hat cymbals, and for his dazzling drum introductions, Barrett's prolific recordings with Marley have been internationally celebrated.
Carlton Barrett was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1950, the son of Wilfred and Violet Barrett. As a teenager, he built his first set of drums out of empty paint cans he found on the street. Along with his contemporaries, drummers Sly Dunbar, Leroy Horsemouth Wallace, Style Scott and Carlton Santa Davis, Barrett was heavily influenced by Lloyd Knibb of the Skatalites.
In the 1960s, Barrett began performing with his brother Aston Familyman Barrett, under the name The Soul Mates or the Rhythm Force and eventually The Hippy Boys, a line-up that featured Max Romeo on vocals, Leroy Brown, Delano Stewart, Glen Adams and Alva Lewis. In 1969, the brothers joined The Wailers (later Known as Bob Marley and The Wailers). During his years with Marley, Barrett continued to record for many of Jamaica's most well known artists and is featured on solo albums by Bunny Wailer (Blackheart Man) and Peter Tosh (Legalize It and Equal Rights) as well as many others.