STUDIO ONE WOMEN: CELEBRATING THE BEST FEMALE VOICES IN REGGAE
Discover a diverse mix of reggae classics and hidden gems from the queens of Jamaican music, including ska, rocksteady, funky reggae, roots, dub mixes, and disco mixes.
Only now, these tracks have been difficult to find and expensive to purchase as rare 7-inch and 12-inch Jamaican singles.
This album features two of Jamaica’s most renowned female singers, Marcia Griffiths and Rita Marley. They became famous internationally as The I-Threes, Bob Marley’s backing singers alongside The Wailers. In addition, the album showcases other talented female voices, such as Hortense Ellis, sister of Alton, and Jennifer Lara, who had a long-standing career with Studio One, singing on numerous tracks.
But Studio One Women is not just about the selected female artists; it also pays tribute to the women who played integral roles in the Studio One empire. This includes Doris Darlington, mother of Clement Dodd, who started Sir Coxsone’s Downbeat Soundsystem, the musical entertainment for customers of Mrs. Darlington’s Nanny’s Bar.
Clement Dodd often referred to his mother as ‘Jamaica’s first female DJ,’ as she would play records at the bar when he was on trips to the US. As her sleeve notes featured on many Studio One releases, Norma Dodd, Clement’s wife, played a significant role. Enid Cumberland, who, besides being a successful artist, taught harmony in the studio and ran the studio shop.
Lastly, Sister Ignatius, who ran the legendary Alpha Boys School for over 50 years, deserves a mention. She encouraged students such as Tommy McCook, Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore, Lester Sterling, Don Drummond, Theo Beckford, Cedric Brooks, Johnny Osbourne, and many more to excel in music. Many of these students became integral to the success of Studio One.
THE FULL ALBUM-DIGITAL FORMAT
ON THE REGGAE TASTEMAKER PLAYLIST NOW…
