Ernest Wilson (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ernest Wilson is a reggae
singer who found fame as a member of The Clarendonians
before working as a solo artist.
and rocksteady
era, and having several Jamaican number one hits. Wilson embarked on a solo career in 1967, releasing the "Money Worries" single. Further singles followed, with "Undying Love", "Storybook Children", and "If I Were a Carpenter" in 1968 (all produced by Coxsone Dodd
), "Private Number" (for Joe Gibbs
), and "Freedom Train" (for Lee "Scratch" Perry - one of the first Jamaican singles ever to be released in stereo) in 1969. In 1969, he got back together with sometime Clarendonian Freddie McGregor
in the duo 'Ernest Wilson & Freddy', releasing the singles "Sentimental Man" and "Love Makes the World Go Round", and later "What You Gonna Do About It" and "Let Them Talk". Wilson was also briefly a member of The Techniques
.
Wilson has continued to record as a solo artist to this day.
Wilson has contributed backing vocals to tracks by Beres Hammond
, Inner Circle, Jimmy Reid
, Jimmy Riley
, Johnny Osbourne
, and Kiddus I
. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, having played piano
on the Umoja album as part of the DEB Music Players, bass guitar
on Gregory Isaacs
' Cool Ruler
album, and guitar
on several recordings including tracks by Tinga Stewart
and Kiddus I
.
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 who found fame as a member of The Clarendonians
The Clarendonians
The Clarendonians were a ska and rocksteady vocal group from Jamaica, active from the mid to late 1960s.-History:The Clarendonians were originally Fitzroy "Ernest" Wilson and Peter Austin , the duo coming together in 1963 in their native Clarendon...
before working as a solo artist.
Biography
Wilson formed The Claredonians in 1963 with Peter Austin, the duo going on to become one of the most popular groups of the skaSka
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and rocksteady
Rocksteady
Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton...
era, and having several Jamaican number one hits. Wilson embarked on a solo career in 1967, releasing the "Money Worries" single. Further singles followed, with "Undying Love", "Storybook Children", and "If I Were a Carpenter" in 1968 (all produced by Coxsone Dodd
Coxsone Dodd
Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond...
), "Private Number" (for Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
), and "Freedom Train" (for Lee "Scratch" Perry - one of the first Jamaican singles ever to be released in stereo) in 1969. In 1969, he got back together with sometime Clarendonian 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...
in the duo 'Ernest Wilson & Freddy', releasing the singles "Sentimental Man" and "Love Makes the World Go Round", and later "What You Gonna Do About It" and "Let Them Talk". Wilson was also briefly a member of The Techniques
The Techniques
The Techniques were a Jamaican rocksteady vocal group mainly active in the 1960s.-History:The group was formed by Winston Riley in 1962 while still at school, with the initial line-up also featuring Slim Smith, Franklyn White, and Frederick Waite...
.
Wilson has continued to record as a solo artist to this day.
Wilson has contributed backing vocals to tracks by Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond is a reggae singer known in particular for his romantic lovers rock and soulful voice...
, Inner Circle, Jimmy Reid
Jimmy Reid
James "Jimmy" Reid was a Scottish trade union activist, orator, politician, and journalist born in Govan, Glasgow. His role as spokesman and one of the leaders in the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Work-in between June 1971 and October 1972 attracted international recognition...
, Jimmy Riley
Jimmy Riley
Jimmy Riley is a Jamaican singer who in addition to recording solo has also been a member of the Sensations and The Uniques.-Biography:...
, Johnny Osbourne
Johnny Osbourne
Johnny Osbourne is a popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, who rose to success in the late 1970s and mid 1980s. His album Truths and Rights was a notable roots reggae success, and featured "Jah Promise" and the album's title track, "Truths and Rights"...
, and Kiddus I
Kiddus I
Kiddus I is a reggae singer and musician, best known for his appearance in the film Rockers.-Biography:...
. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, having played piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on the Umoja album as part of the DEB Music Players, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on 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....
' Cool Ruler
Cool Ruler
Cool Ruler is a 1978 album by Gregory Isaacs, his first released on the Virgin Records subsidiary Front Line. The Jamaican release was on Isaacs' African Museum imprint. The album was produced by Isaacs and mixed by Lancelot "Maxie" McKenzie at Channel One Studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Of the...
album, and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
on several recordings including tracks by Tinga Stewart
Tinga Stewart
Tinga Stewart is a reggae singer. Stewart won the Festival Song Contest three times, twice as a singer and once as a songwriter.-Biography:...
and Kiddus I
Kiddus I
Kiddus I is a reggae singer and musician, best known for his appearance in the film Rockers.-Biography:...
.
Albums
- Love Revolution (1986) Natty Congo
- Promise Me (1987) Techniques
- Undying Love (1992) VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
- Still Love You (2007) Love Injection