Judy Mowatt
Judy Mowatt OD | |
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Mowatt in 1980 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Judith Veronica Mowatt |
Born | 1952 (age 71–72) Gordon Town, Jamaica |
Genres | Reggae Roots Reggae Gospel |
Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 1967 – present |
Labels | Tuff Gong, Shanachie Records, Gay Feet |
Judith Veronica Mowatt, OD (born 1952) is a Jamaican reggae artist. As well as being a solo artist, from 1974 she was also a member of the I Threes, the trio of backing vocalists for Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Early life
Mowatt was born in Gordon Town, St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica. At the age of 13, she became a member of a dance troupe which toured Jamaica and other islands in the Caribbean. Her initial ambition was to become a registered nurse. Her earliest musical influences were Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield, Dionne Warwick, Bob Marley, Marcia Griffiths, The Staple Singers and The Soulettes. A coincidental meeting with two teenage girls who were earlier in her dance troupe led to the formation of the Gaylettes, in 1967.
Career
In 1974, Mowatt got her big break by joining Bob Marley's backing vocal trio the "I Threes".[1]
Her Black Woman album (Ashandan, 1979) came out the same year as I Three member Marcia Griffiths's album At Studio One. It is considered by many critics to be the greatest reggae album by a female artist.[2] It was also the first reggae album recorded by a woman acting as her own producer[3] in collaboration with the renowned Jamaican artist Freddie McGregor, with whom she also had a romantic relationship, resulting in the birth of their daughter Yashemabeth McGregor.
The song 'Joseph,' from this album, was dedicated to Bob Marley while he was still alive as she believed that the Jamaican musician was the reincarnation of the biblical figure Joseph from the Old Testament.
She became the first female singer nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of reggae music when her Working Wonders album was nominated in 1985.[citation needed]
Formerly a member of the Rastafari movement, in the late 1990s she converted to Christianity and now sings Gospel music.[2]
In 1999 the Jamaican government made her an Officer of the Order of Distinction for "services to music".
Identity mixup
Some sources wrongfully assumed Judy Mowatt to be identical to Jean Watt (the longtime wife of Bunny Livingston/Wailer).[4] This mixup possibly originated from Mowatt using several different stage names, for legal reasons, in the early 1970’s: Julianne, Julie-Ann, and Jean. Bunny Wailer credited his wife, Jean Watt, for writing some of the tracks recorded during sessions for the album Burnin' (1973): "Hallelujah Time", “Pass It On" and "Reincarnated Soul”. The latter song first appeared on a single as B Side to “Concrete Jungle” and later - with the name changed to "Reincarnated Souls" – on Bunny Wailer's first solo album Blackheart Man (1976).
Discography
- Mellow Mood (1975), Tuff Gong
- Black Woman (1979), Ashandan / (1980), Grove Music (Island Records)
- Mr. Dee-J (1981), Ashandan
- Only A Woman (1982), Shanachie
- Working Wonders (1985), Shanachie, Ashandan
- Love Is Overdue (1986), Shanachie
- I Shall Sing (1991), Trojan Records
- Look at Love (1991), Koch International / Shanachie
- Rock Me (1993), Pow Wow
- Love (1998), African Love / Jet Star
- Something Old, Something New (2002), Judy M Music/Tuff Gong International
- Sing Our Own Song (2003), Shanachie
with the I Three
- Beginning (1986), Tuff Gong / EMI - with Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths, credited to 'I-Three'
with the Gaylettes
- We Shall Sing (Girl Group Rocksteady, Reggae And Soul 1967-73) (2001), Westside (compilation)
- Rescue Me (1967-1973) (2016), Roots Reggae Library (compilation)
References
- ^ "Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ a b Howard Campbell (26 February 2014). "Black Woman Judy Mowatt". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014.
- ^ "Black Woman - Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ Moskowitz, David (2007) The Words and Music of Bob Marley, p. 162 (Chapter 3, note 32).
- v
- t
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- Other vocalists: Junior Braithwaite
- Cherry Smith
- Beverley Kelso
- Constantine "Vision" Walker
- Rita Marley
- Marcia Griffiths
- Judy Mowatt
- The Wailing Wailers (1965)
- Soul Rebels (1970)
- Soul Revolution Part II (1971)
- The Best of the Wailers (1971)
- Catch a Fire (1973)
- Burnin' (1973)
- Natty Dread (1974)
- Rastaman Vibration (1976)
- Exodus (1977)
- Kaya (1978)
- Survival (1979)
- Uprising (1980)
- Confrontation (1983)
- African Herbsman (1973)
- Rasta Revolution (1974)
- Legend (1984)
- Rebel Music (1986)
- Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On (1995)
- 21 Winners: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers (1997)
- One Love: The Very Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers (2001)
- Gold (2005)
- Live! (1975)
- Babylon by Bus (1978)
- Talkin' Blues (1991)
- Live at the Roxy (2003)
- Live Forever: September 23, 1980 • Stanley Theatre • Pittsburgh, PA (2011)
- Easy Skanking in Boston '78 (2015)
- Chances Are (1981)
- Chant Down Babylon (1999)
- B Is for Bob (2009)
- Songs of Freedom (1992)
- The Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967–1972 (1997–2002)
- "Judge Not"
- "Simmer Down"
- "Guava Jelly"
- "Stir It Up"
- "Get Up, Stand Up"
- "I Shot the Sheriff"
- "No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)"
- "Jah Live"
- "Exodus"
- "Waiting in Vain"
- "Jamming"/"Punky Reggae Party"
- "Is This Love"
- "Satisfy My Soul"
- "So Much Trouble in the World"
- "Could You Be Loved"
- "Redemption Song"
- "Three Little Birds"
- "Forever Loving Jah"
- "Buffalo Soldier"
- "One Love/People Get Ready"
- "Iron Lion Zion"
- "Sun Is Shining"
- "Turn Your Lights Down Low"
- "Slogans"
- "Is This Love"
- "One Love"
- "Rude Boy"
- "Mr Brown"
- "Small Axe"
- "No Woman, No Cry"
- "Turn Your Lights Down Low"
- "Sun Is Shining"
- "One Drop"
- "War"
- "Hammer"
- Smile Jamaica Concert (1976)
- Exodus Tour (1977)
- One Love Peace Concert (1978)
- Uprising Tour (1980)
- Chris Blackwell
- Errol Brown
- Allan Cole
- Coxsone Dodd
- Vincent Ford
- Neville Garrick
- Joe Higgs
- Lee Jaffe
- Arthur Jenkins
- King Sporty
- Leslie Kong
- Johnny Nash
- Jimmy Norman
- Lee "Scratch" Perry
- Mortimer Planno
- Karl Pitterson
- Alex Sadkin
- Discography
- Band members
- Outline of Bob Marley
- 1976 assassination attempt
- Marley Natural
- Upsetter Records
- Tuff Gong
- Bob Marley Museum
- Statue of Bob Marley
- Tribute to the Legend: Bob Marley
- Marley
- soundtrack
- Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley's 50th Anniversary
- Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley
- One Love: The Bob Marley Musical
- Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical
- Bob Marley: One Love
- soundtrack
- Category