Edi Fitzroy
Encyclopedia
Fitzroy Edwards better known by his stage name Edi Fitzroy is a Jamaica
n reggae
singer, active since 1975 but best known for his work in the dancehall
era.
, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica. He was exposed to music from an early age via his father Vasco Edwards' sound system. After studying at the West Indies Commercial Institute, he took a job as an accounts clerk with the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
while also singing in his spare time. His recordings came to the attention of Mikey Dread
, a radio presenter at the station, and with Dread's assistance he released his first single, "Miss Molly Colly", which was a top ten hit in Jamaica in 1978. Further hits followed and Fitzroy toured the United Kingdom with Dread in 1978, supporting The Clash
. In the early 1980s, Fitzroy worked with producers such as Lloyd Norris, and Trevor Elliot (who produced the singer's debut album Youthman Penitentiary (1982)). Check For You Once (1982) topped the Jamaican albums chart for four weeks. He performed at Reggae Sunsplash
in 1984, returning in 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1993, and also performed at Sunsplash USA in 1988.
Fitzroy's lyrics led to him becoming renowned as one of Jamaica's most socially conscious singers, with themes including equality for women, and he won a Rockers Award in 1984 for Most Conscious Performer for his "Princess Black" single (which he wrote for his mother). He enjoyed a major Jamaican hit with "The Gun", and he contributed to the "Land of Africa" charity single in aid of the Ethiopia
famine appear, along with Gregory Isaacs
, Freddie McGregor
and others, and Fitzroy became a director (along with Rita Marley
, Judy Mowatt
, Michael "Ibo" Cooper
, and Orville Tyson) of the Music Is Life organization, with the aim of making a more lasting contribution toward's Africa's plight.
After the release of his 1993 album Deep in Mi Culture, Fitzroy toured the United States with backing band Massawa. In the mid-1990s he started his own Confidence label to release his own material. He has been a regular performer at annual Peter Tosh
memorial concerts in Jamaica. Only in the mid-1990s did he give up his day-job to pursue music as a full-time career.
Although much of Fitzroy's work has been in an era when slack
lyrics and digital rhythms have predominated, in the 1998 book Reggae Island he spelled out his preference for real musicians and 'reality' lyrics:
Edi Fitzroy is a Rastafarian
, stating that he has been "from birth".
Compilations:
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer, active since 1975 but best known for his work in the dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
era.
Biography
Edwards was born in ChapeltonChapelton, Jamaica
Chapelton is a market town in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica and the former parish capital.-Name:According to a long time resident:-Amenities:*Clarendon College, secondary school.*Clarendon Hospital, built c1903, now a community Type 3 hospital.*....
, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica. He was exposed to music from an early age via his father Vasco Edwards' sound system. After studying at the West Indies Commercial Institute, he took a job as an accounts clerk with the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
The Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation was a public broadcasting company in Jamaica founded in 1959 by Prime Minister Norman Manley with the aim of emulating the success of other national broadcasting companies such as the BBC and CBC.-History:...
while also singing in his spare time. His recordings came to the attention of Mikey Dread
Mikey Dread
Michael George Campbell , better known as Mikey Dread, was a Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster. He was one of the most influential performers and innovators in reggae music...
, a radio presenter at the station, and with Dread's assistance he released his first single, "Miss Molly Colly", which was a top ten hit in Jamaica in 1978. Further hits followed and Fitzroy toured the United Kingdom with Dread in 1978, supporting The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. In the early 1980s, Fitzroy worked with producers such as Lloyd Norris, and Trevor Elliot (who produced the singer's debut album Youthman Penitentiary (1982)). Check For You Once (1982) topped the Jamaican albums chart for four weeks. He performed at Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival...
in 1984, returning in 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1993, and also performed at Sunsplash USA in 1988.
Fitzroy's lyrics led to him becoming renowned as one of Jamaica's most socially conscious singers, with themes including equality for women, and he won a Rockers Award in 1984 for Most Conscious Performer for his "Princess Black" single (which he wrote for his mother). He enjoyed a major Jamaican hit with "The Gun", and he contributed to the "Land of Africa" charity single in aid of the Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
famine appear, along with Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
, Freddie McGregor
Freddie McGregor
Freddie McGregor has been variously a singer, musician and producer. According to Allmusic he is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with a steady career that started in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old.-Biography:In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to...
and others, and Fitzroy became a director (along with Rita Marley
Rita Marley
Alpharita Constantia Anderson , better known as Rita Marley, and sometimes called "Nana Rita", is the widow of reggae legend/musician Bob Marley, and a member of the trio the I Threes, Bob Marley's backup singers.-Biography:...
, Judy Mowatt
Judy Mowatt
Judy Mowatt was born in the year 1948 in Gordon Town, St. Andrew Jamaica. She is an internationally acclaimed reggae artist who rose to fame as 1/3 of the trio the I THREE who were the Back-Ground vocalists for Bob Marley.-Biography:...
, Michael "Ibo" Cooper
Michael Cooper (Musician)
Michael "Ibo" Cooper is a founding member of the reggae band Third World. He has also appeared with reggae artist Burning Spear.He currently teaches at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica.- References :...
, and Orville Tyson) of the Music Is Life organization, with the aim of making a more lasting contribution toward's Africa's plight.
After the release of his 1993 album Deep in Mi Culture, Fitzroy toured the United States with backing band Massawa. In the mid-1990s he started his own Confidence label to release his own material. He has been a regular performer at annual Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh , was a Jamaican reggae musician who was a core member of the band The Wailers , and who afterward had a successful solo career as well as being a promoter of Rastafari.Peter Tosh was born in Grange Hill, Jamaica, an illegitimate child to a mother too young...
memorial concerts in Jamaica. Only in the mid-1990s did he give up his day-job to pursue music as a full-time career.
Although much of Fitzroy's work has been in an era when slack
Slackness
Slackness refers to vulgarity in West Indian culture, behavior and the music. It also refers to a subgenre of dancehall music with straightforward sexual lyrics performed live or recorded. Its form and pronunciation varies throughout the Caribbean....
lyrics and digital rhythms have predominated, in the 1998 book Reggae Island he spelled out his preference for real musicians and 'reality' lyrics:
Edi Fitzroy is a Rastafarian
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
, stating that he has been "from birth".
Discography
- Youthman Penitentiary (1982), Alligator
- Check For You Once (1982), Musical Ambassador
- Coming Up Strong (1984), Musical Ambassador
- Eclipse (1987), RASRAS RecordsRAS Records, also known as Real Authentic Sound, is a reggae record label.-History:RAS Records was founded in 1979 by Doctor Dread. In his travels to Jamaica he created a network within the reggae artist community there. By the early to mid 1980s RAS had signed artists such as Black Uhuru, Inner...
- Pollution (1990), VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
- Deep in Mi Culture (1993), Henry K
- We a Lion (2000)
- Hold the Vibes (2006), King Step
Compilations:
- First Class Citizen (2001), Musical Ambassador
- The Best Of Edi Fitzroy Featuring Sly and Robbie and The Roots Radics (2010), Musical Ambassador