Ernie Smith (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ernie Smith is a reggae
singer, with a deep baritone
voice, who had his greatest success in the late 1960s and 1970s.
. He initially (unsuccessfully) sought a career as a radio announcer, but then approached Federal Studios looking for work as a songwriter
, ending up recording his songs himself.
Recording initially in an easy listening style, Smith's first chart success came in the late 1960s with "Bend Down", which was followed by Jamaican number one hits in "Ride On Sammy," "One Dream," and "Pitta Patta", all produced by Richard Khouri at Federal, the latter based on Lee "Scratch" Perry's "Musical Transplant" rhythm, which was voted the best song of the year in Swing magazine. In 1972, he won the Yamaha Music Festival
in Japan
with "Life Is Just For Living", a song originally written for a Red Stripe
commercial. In 1973, he was honoured by the Jamaican government with The Badge Of Honour For Meritorious Service In The Field Of Music. An album, Life Is Just For Living followed in 1974 on Trojan Records
. "Pitta Patta" was followed by further Jamaican hits with "Duppy or Gunman" and "Key Card". Smith also had success with covers of popular songs such as "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and "Everything I Own", and as a songwriter had success at the Festival Song Contest in 1974 with Tinga Stewart
's "Play De Music". Smith's "Tears On My Pillow (I Can't Stand It)
" topped the UK Singles Chart
in 1975 when recorded by Johnny Nash
. In 1976 his "The Power and the Glory" was seen by some as a criticism of Prime Minister Michael Manley
's policies, and led to threats on his life, prompting him to relocate with his family to Toronto
, Canada
, where he recorded the albums To Behold Jah and Skareggae. In the late 1970s, Smith largely appealed to older audiences and released Gospel
-influenced records such as 1978's I'll Sing For Jesus album. In 1981, Smith moved to Miami to be closer to his wife and children, later moving to Fort Lauderdale, but was beset by financial difficulties and cocaine
and alcohol
problems. Smith found help in the form of Bob Marley
's mother, Cedella Booker
, who he collaborated with as a songwriter, and in 1987, film director Perry Henzell
asked Smith to write songs for his Marcus Garvey
musical. Smith returned to Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Gilbert
, and began recording and performing again, initially with a new band, The New Agenda. In 1996, he released the Dancehall Ernie Cleans It Up album, featuring new recordings of some of his best known songs.
In 2008, Smith returned with Country Mile, an album that was preceded by the singles "That's The Kinda People We Are" (a duet with Pluto Shervington
) and "Give Her a Lion" (featuring Ron Muschette).
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer, with a deep baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
voice, who had his greatest success in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Biography
Smith was born in Kingston and raised in St. AnnSaint Ann Parish, Jamaica
Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the county of Middlesex, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called 'the Garden Parish of Jamaica' on account of its natural beauty...
. He initially (unsuccessfully) sought a career as a radio announcer, but then approached Federal Studios looking for work as a songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, ending up recording his songs himself.
Recording initially in an easy listening style, Smith's first chart success came in the late 1960s with "Bend Down", which was followed by Jamaican number one hits in "Ride On Sammy," "One Dream," and "Pitta Patta", all produced by Richard Khouri at Federal, the latter based on Lee "Scratch" Perry's "Musical Transplant" rhythm, which was voted the best song of the year in Swing magazine. In 1972, he won the Yamaha Music Festival
Yamaha Music Festival
The World Popular Song Festival, also known as Yamaha Music Festival and unofficially as the "Oriental Eurovision", was an international song contest held in 1970-1989. It was organised by the Yamaha Music Foundation in Tokyo, Japan from 1970 until 1989...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with "Life Is Just For Living", a song originally written for a Red Stripe
Red Stripe
Red Stripe is a Jamaican lager beer whose logo is a bold, diagonal red stripe. It is brewed by Desnoes & Geddes Limited, originally a soft drink manufacturer incorporated on July 31, 1918, by Kingston, Jamaica natives Eugene Peter Desnoes and Thomas Hargreaves Geddes...
commercial. In 1973, he was honoured by the Jamaican government with The Badge Of Honour For Meritorious Service In The Field Of Music. An album, Life Is Just For Living followed in 1974 on Trojan Records
Trojan Records
Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
. "Pitta Patta" was followed by further Jamaican hits with "Duppy or Gunman" and "Key Card". Smith also had success with covers of popular songs such as "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and "Everything I Own", and as a songwriter had success at the Festival Song Contest in 1974 with Tinga Stewart
Tinga Stewart
Tinga Stewart is a reggae singer. Stewart won the Festival Song Contest three times, twice as a singer and once as a songwriter.-Biography:...
's "Play De Music". Smith's "Tears On My Pillow (I Can't Stand It)
Tears on My Pillow (Johnny Nash song)
Tears on My Pillow was a popular song for Johnny Nash.Written by Ernie Smith and produced by Johnny Nash, Tears on My Pillow was the sole number one single in the UK for Nash, spending a single week at the top of the charts in July 1975. New Zealand act covered this song in 1991, reaching #1 on...
" topped the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1975 when recorded by Johnny Nash
Johnny Nash
John Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.-Life and career:...
. In 1976 his "The Power and the Glory" was seen by some as a criticism of Prime Minister Michael Manley
Michael Manley
Michael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....
's policies, and led to threats on his life, prompting him to relocate with his family to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where he recorded the albums To Behold Jah and Skareggae. In the late 1970s, Smith largely appealed to older audiences and released Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
-influenced records such as 1978's I'll Sing For Jesus album. In 1981, Smith moved to Miami to be closer to his wife and children, later moving to Fort Lauderdale, but was beset by financial difficulties and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
problems. Smith found help in the form of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's mother, Cedella Booker
Cedella Booker
Cedella Malcolm Marley Booker was the mother of Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley and a singer and writer.-Biography:...
, who he collaborated with as a songwriter, and in 1987, film director Perry Henzell
Perry Henzell
Perry Henzell was most famous for being the director of the first Jamaican feature film, The Harder They Come , starring Jimmy Cliff....
asked Smith to write songs for his Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
musical. Smith returned to Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Gilbert
Hurricane Gilbert
Hurricane Gilbert was an extremely powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season and created widespread destruction in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It is the second most intense hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic basin behind only...
, and began recording and performing again, initially with a new band, The New Agenda. In 1996, he released the Dancehall Ernie Cleans It Up album, featuring new recordings of some of his best known songs.
In 2008, Smith returned with Country Mile, an album that was preceded by the singles "That's The Kinda People We Are" (a duet with Pluto Shervington
Pluto Shervington
Pluto Shervington, also known as Pluto , is a reggae musician, singer, engineer and producer.-Career:...
) and "Give Her a Lion" (featuring Ron Muschette).
Albums
- Greatest Hits (1971) LondonLondon RecordsLondon Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
- Pitta Patta (1972) Federal
- Ernie...Smith, That Is (1972) Federal
- For The Good Times (1974) Federal
- Life Is Just For Living (1974) TrojanTrojan RecordsTrojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
- Ernie Smith (Test Pressing, Unreleased Album Produced By Van McCoy) (1974) Warner Bros
- Pure Gold Rock & Roll And Rocksteady (1975) Wildflower
- I'll Sing For Jesus (1978) Wildflower
- To Behold Jah (1979) Generation/Tuff GongTuff GongTuff Gong is a record label that was formed by the reggae group The Wailers in 1970 and named after Bob Marley's nickname, which was in turn an echo of that given to founder of the Rastafari movement, Leonard "The Gong" Howell. The first single on the label was "Run For Cover" by The Wailers...
- Skareggae (1981) Generation
- Mr. Smith's Classics (1982) KR
- On The Road Ernie Smith Music
- Folk Songs of Jamaica (1992) Ernie Smith Music
- Greatest Hits (1995) Musicrama
- Dancehall Ernie Cleans It Up (1996) Ernie Smith Music
- Step Up (1996) Ernie Smith Music
- After 30 Years Life Is Just For Living (1997) Ernie Smith Music/VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
- The Very Best Of Ernie Smith (1998) Rhino
- Greatest Hits (1999) K&K
- Country Mile (2008) VP
- The Best of Ernie Smith - Original Masters (2010) VP
External links
- Ernie Smith at Roots Archives
- Cooke, Mel (2007) "Ernie Smith traces "Redemption Song"", Jamaica GleanerGleanerGleaner may refer to:*Gleaner Company, a newspaper publishing enterprise in Jamaica.*Gleaner Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of combine harvesters.*Gleaning, the collection of crops left over after harvest....
, February 9, 2007 - Cooke, Mel (2007) "Ernie Smith imagines a 'Duppy Gunman'", Sunday GleanerGleanerGleaner may refer to:*Gleaner Company, a newspaper publishing enterprise in Jamaica.*Gleaner Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of combine harvesters.*Gleaning, the collection of crops left over after harvest....
, October 28, 2007