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Musician,Singer,Songwriter
Ernie, who is respected as a composer, lyricist
and singer has a deep, rich voice Ernie Smith that draws comparisons
to Neil Diamond and Cat Stevens.
Jamaican born reggae musician Ernie Smith
comes to you with a catalogue spanning 37 years, 12 Albums, countless
live performances and a significant fan base. Ernie Smith's professional
musical career began with his first recording in 1967, an original
composition - "I Can't Take It", later recorded by Johnny
Nash as "Tears On My Pillow." Hits followed in quick succession,
including "Bend Down," "Ride On Sammy," "One
Dream," Pitta Patta" and "Duppy Gunman"Ernie
has written well over 200 songs, some of which have been recorded
by other artistes, including Johnny Nash, Rita Marley, Chakka Demus
and Pliers, Twiggy, Ken Lazarus, John Jones, Eddie Lovette, and
Yellow Man among others. |
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Ernie
played on many of the world stages including repeat performances
at Madison Square Garden, New York (1973, 1974 and 1999); Place
de Nacion, Montreal ; Camp Fortune, Ottawa ; Ontario Place, Alexandria
Palace, Convocation Hall, Toronto ; The Martinez Ballroom, Cannes,
Disney World, France; Rio , Brazil; Expo 93, Taejon, and Muju Resorts,
Korea; Nippon Budokon Hall, Tokyo, Japan; Henry J. Bean Club, Brussels;
San Marino, Milan, Rome, Italy ; venues in other European countries,
including Holland , Switzerland, Germany; events on the East Coast
of the USA and throughout middle-America including July Jam Festival,
Lincoln, Nebraska; in Belize City, Central America; Georgetown,
Guyana, South America and during other engagements in Caribbean
countries, including Barbados, Trinidad, St Lucia, St. Vincent,
St. Maarten, Cayman Islands and Jamaica .
As well as performing with Jamaica 's foremost
bands, Ernie has the distinction of being Jamaica 's premier solo
act, performing as far afield as Germany, Italy, South Korea, Switzerland,
Holland, Belgium, France, UK and the USA.
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How I Started
 Ernie
Smith's professional musical career began with his
first recording in
1967, an original composition - "I Can't Take
It", later recorded by Johnny
Nash as "Tears On My Pillow." Hits followed
in quick succession,
including "Bend Down," "Ride On Sammy,"
"One Dream," and "Pitta Patta."
Duppy Gunman"
In 1972 at the World Popular
Song Festival of the Yamaha Foundation in
Tokyo, he won the grand prize competing with songwriters
like Neil Sedaka, and Michael Legrand, with his original
composition of "Life is Just for
Living."
Ernie became the first Jamaican
musician to win an International award. For this historic
achievement, he became the first musician in the field
of Popular Music to be honoured by the Jamaican Government.
In 1976, Ernie was forced into
exile in North America because of his
controversial political commentary in the song, "The
Power and the Glory". Ironically, the once-banned
song is still relevant and even more popular. Today,
twenty-six years after its release it is the battle
song for all the talk shows and community activists.
In the first 3 of the 13 years
in exile from his homeland, he thrilled
audiences In Canada, where he resided for 3 years,
and was a pioneer in bringing Reggae to the mainstream.
Critics hailed his album "To Behold Jah"
(1979) as "one of the most important albums to
come out of Canada for [the] year [1979]."
Contact
:Ernie Smith
Visit
Website
Roots
Archives
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Music
 Ernie
Smith Sings Folk Songs Of Jamaica
The Jamaican folk music tradition is entwined with that of
mento. As mento music was first developing in Jamaica from
a variety of influences, it is likely that the first lyrics
used in mento music came from Jamaican folk songs. |
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Ernie Smith
After 30 Years: Life is Just for Living
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