Jackie Edwards (musician)

Jackie Edwards
Birth name Wilfred Gerald Edwards
Born 1938
Jamaica
Died 15 August 1992(1992-08-15) (aged 53–54)
Genres Reggae
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Years active 1950–1992
Labels Island

Wilfred Gerald "Jackie" Edwards (1938 – 15 August 1992)[1] was a Jamaican musician and songwriter, whose career took in ska, R&B, soul, rocksteady, reggae, and ballads.[2]

Career

Edwards was born in Jamaica in 1938 where he grew up as one of fifteen siblings. Strongly influenced by Nat King Cole, he began performing at the age of 14.[3] He and came to the attention of Chris Blackwell in 1959. Edwards had four number one singles in Jamaica between 1960 and 1961, all self-written ballads with latin-influenced music.[3]

When Blackwell set up Island Records in London in 1962, Edwards travelled with him.[1] Edwards worked as a singer and songwriter for Island, recording as a solo artist and also duets with Millie Small, as well as performing duties such as delivering records.[2][3] He wrote both "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me", that became number one singles in the United Kingdom for The Spencer Davis Group.[1][2] He continued to work as a recording artist himself, with regular album releases through to the mid-1980s. Much of his later work was produced by Bunny Lee, and he also worked with The Aggrovators.[1] Dionne Bromfield covered his song "Oh Henry" on her album Introducing Dionne Bromfield in 2009.

Edwards also worked as a producer, co-producing the 1977 album Move Up Starsky by The Mexicano.[4] The majority of Jackie's catalogue is published through Fairwood Music (UK) Ltd for the World.

He died in August 1992 of a heart attack.[1]

Discography

Albums

  • The Most of Jackie Edwards (1963) – Island
  • Stand Up for Jesus (1964) – Island
  • Come On Home (1965) – Island
  • By Demand (1966) – Island
  • Pledging My Love (1966) – Island (with Millie Small)
  • Premature Golden Sands (1967) – Island
  • Put Your Tears Away (1969) – Island
  • I Do Love You (1972) – Trojan
  • Do You Believe in Love (1976) – Klik
  • African Language (1977) – Harry J Records
  • Let It Be Me (1978) – Jamaica Sound (with Hortense Ellis)
  • Tell Me Darling (1978) – Imperial
  • Sincerely (1978) – Trojan
  • Come to Me Softly (1979) – Third World
  • Nothing Takes the Place of You (1981) – Starlight
  • King of the Ghetto (1982) – Black Music
  • Tell It Like It Is (1982) – Starlight
  • Love & Affection (1983) – Sky Note (feat. Kate Swadling)
  • The Original 'Mr. Cool Ruler' (1983) – Vista Sounds
  • The Dynamic Jackie Wilfred Edwards (1984) – Boss
  • Musical Treasures Disco Style (198?) – Imperial
  • Endless Love (1986) – World Enterprise
  • Heart to Heart (1990) – Justice
  • Escape (1995) – Peter Pan Industries
  • Dearest (1995) – Lagoon
  • In Paradise (1995) – Carl's Records

Compilation albums

  • The Best of Jackie Edwards (1966) – Island
  • The Best of Jackie & Millie (1967) – Trojan (with Millie Small)
  • 20 Greatest Hits (1977) – Conflict
  • Starlight (1978) – Pye
  • 20 Super Hits (19??) – Sonic Sounds
  • In Paradise (1994) – Trojan
  • Memorial (19??) – Rhino
  • Singing Hits from Studio One and More (1995) – Rhino
  • Great Soul Hits: Put Your Tears Away (1997) – Marginal
  • This Is My Story: A History of Jamaica's Greatest Balladeer (2005) – Trojan
  • I Feel So Bad (2006) – Castle
  • 50 Greatest Hits (2013) – Alexander Music Group

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography by Steve Leggett". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9
  3. 1 2 3 "Wilfred ‘Jackie’ Edwards, An Unsung Hero Of The 60s", Jamaica Gleaner, 24 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015
  4. ↑ The Mexicano - Move Up Starsky
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