Marcia Griffiths
The Honourable Marcia Griffiths | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Marcia Llyneth Griffiths |
Born | Kingston, Jamaica | 23 November 1949
Genres | Reggae, roots reggae |
Occupation(s) | Vocalist |
Years active | 1964–present |
Marcia Llyneth Griffiths OJ OD (born 23 November 1949)[1][2] is a Jamaican singer. One reviewer described her by noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances".[1]
Biography
Born in
From 1970 to 1974, she worked together with Bob Andy as a duo (Bob and Marcia), on the Harry J label.[4] She also recorded for Lloyd Charmers.[4]
Between 1974 and 1981, she was a member of the
In 1983, she released her re-recording of the Bunny Wailer song "Electric Boogie", originally recorded and released by Wailer in 1976. Although the 1983 version became a minor hit for Griffiths, the song was remixed in 1989, and it was this version that made the Electric Slide, a line dance, an international dance craze.[3][4] It reached number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it her most successful single.[1] It is currently the highest-selling single by a female reggae singer of all time.[5] She has more recently had further hits with producer Donovan Germain.[3]
She had two children with JBC disc jockey Errol Thompson, and raised them alone after his death in 1983.[3]
Griffiths was featured on the album
Griffiths appeared in the 2011 documentary Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals which was featured on BBC and described as "The untold story of one of the most influential artists ever to come out of Jamaica".[7][8]
A Brazilian documentary film about Griffiths, Reggae Meets Samba, was in production as of December 2013.[9]
In January 2014, she announced that as part of her fiftieth year in the music business she would be releasing an album of her favorite songs by other artists, Songs That Inspire Me, Songs I Love to Sing, recorded with Germain.[10]
In August 2014, it was announced that Griffiths would receive the Jamaican Order of Distinction (Commander class) in October that year.[11]
In January 2018, Griffiths signed an exclusive booking deal with New York-based Donsome Records' booking agency.[12]
In October 2023 Griffiths was conferred with the Order of Jamaica (OJ) Jamaica’s fourth-highest national honour. [13]
Discography
- Sweet Bitter Love (1974)
- Naturally (1978)
- Steppin (1979)
- Rock My Soul (1984)
- Marcia (1988)
- Carousel (1990)
- Indomitable (1995)
- Land of Love (1997)
- Collectors Series (1998)
- Truly (1998)
- Certified (1999)
- Reggae Max (2003)
- Shining Time (2005)
- Melody Life (2007)
- Marcia Griffiths & Friends (2012)
- Timeless (2019)
References
- ^ a b c d "Biography by Roger Steffens". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ Other sources, e.g. Campbell-Livingston (2012), state that she was 61 in 2012, while the Gleaner article from January 2014 states that she was aged nine in 1964.
- ^ a b c d e f Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2012), "Truly outstanding: Looking at the amazing career of Marcia Griffiths", Jamaica Observer, 3 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ Jamaica Gleaner, 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014
- ^ Richard Burnett, "Reggae queen Marcia Griffiths on Bob Marley and the role of women in reggae", The Gazette (Montreal), 16 May 2013.
- ^ Toots and the Maytals. tootsandthemaytals.net. Web. “True Love – Linear Notes" Archived 10 November 2016 at archive.today. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ "BBC Four – Toots and the Maytals: Reggae Got Soul". BBC. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
- ^ "Toots & The Maytals – Reggae Got Soul – Documentary Trailer". 15 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013), "Marcia Griffiths's musical journey for docu-film", Jamaica Observer, 12 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ^ Morgan, Simone (2014), "Marcia hails heroes", Jamaica Observer, 28 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ Campbell, Howard (2014), "Marcia Griffiths to receive Order of Distinction", Jamaica Observer, 7 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Marcia Griffiths signs with new booking agency", "Jamaica Observer", 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Marcia Griffiths, Audley Shaw head list of national honourees | Loop Jamaica". Loop News. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
External links
- Marvin Sparks, "Marcia Griffiths remembers Bob Marley on 30th anniversary of passing | Interview", Soul Culture, 11 May 2011.