339:, including the deeply religious "Thank You, Jah" and the haunting "Green Line." But the pace was becoming too much and Silk collapsed during a show at the Ritz in New York City, suffering from low blood pressure and exhaustion. The exhausted singer was forced to cancel all his scheduled appearances for the next six months, most crucially of all, what would have been his debut at
803:
343:. However, Silk bounced back in 1994 and set back to work. In a show of good grace, he rejoined Steely & Clevie and cut the "Love Is the Answer" single, another massive hit. "Fight Back," produced by Richie Stephens, was next up. By then, the singer was ready to re-take the stage, which he did with a vengeance, headlining that year's Reggae Sumfest and
387:), to begin work on his second album. He'd recorded ten songs and the album was nearing completion when he went home to visit his mother. Silk had borrowed a pair of guns from his attorney after his home had been burglarized, but had no idea how to use them. Sitting with a couple of friends at his mother's house in
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Over the next two years, the singer would record with most of the major name producers on the island, both on his own and in partnership with Tony Rebel. He cut a swathe of songs with King Jammy, including "Fill Us Up With Your Mercy" and "Lord Watch Over Our
Shoulders." The latter track titled a
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tank and setting the house ablaze. The singer, his friends, and his two brothers made it out safely, only to discover that Silk's mother was still trapped inside. Silk rushed back into the house to save her, but it was too late and both were lost in the fire.
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in 1990, recording an album's worth of songs for them. It was the production duo who decided to change his name to Garnet Silk, in reference to his smooth voice. Only one of the tracks recorded during this period, "We Can Be
Together," a duet with
159:, known for his diverse, emotive, powerful and smooth voice. During the early 1990s he was hailed as a rising talent, however his career was ended by his early death in 1994, while attempting to save his mother from her burning house.
220:
label, releasing "No
Disrespect", and working regularly with Tony Rebel, Smith now being billed simply as 'Bimbo'. The pair began performing as a duo around the sound systems to much acclaim. The
282:, was actually released at the time, and discouraged by this, he returned to Manchester and threw himself into songwriting, often in partnership with an old friend, Anthony "Fire" Rochester.
316:. Split between deeply cultural themes, spiritual songs, and romantic numbers, the album went on to become one of the best selling in Jamaica that year, and he had his first major
285:
Another encounter with Tony Rebel brought an introduction to
Courtney Cole, owner of the Roof International label. Silk would record a plethora of songs at the producer's
208:). He recorded his first track in 1985, but it would be two years later before his first single, "Problem Everywhere" was released. An album of material from this period (
224:
album dates from about this time and features a clutch of exclusive recordings the DJ cut for the sound system from the mid-1980s through the end of the decade. Rebel, a
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with "Hello Mama Africa" (produced by
Richard "Bello" Bell) for the Star Trail label, which was Silk's first international hit, and topped the reggae chart in Britain.
257:
331:, released by the UK Charm label, bundled up more hits from this period. Amongst them was "Zion in a Vision," a Jamaican number one cut with producer
293:
classic "I Can See
Clearly Now". Roof International would posthumously bundle up these early singles and other material recorded at this time for the
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in 2000. The album contains some of Silk's most well known songs including: "Hello Africa", "Mama", "Oh Me, Oh My" and "Jah, Jah is the Ruler".
251:'s studio with Rebel, including tracks recorded separately, as a duo, and with Anthony Selassie, and he began working under his real name. The
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compiles these early Morgan-overseen recordings. The success of this session led him to continue as a singer, going on to work with producers
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408:'s "Tribute to Garnett Silk" and the Earth Day concert, and numerous compilation albums, including two collections of his dubplates,
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1994 compilation released by the
Greensleeves label in the UK and boasts seven Jammy cuts and a clutch of hits for other producers.
176:. His musical career began at the age of twelve, when he performed under the name Little Bimbo. During the 1980s he worked as a
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album, released in 1999 by the Tabou1 label. Silk's backing band was
Jahpostles, who originally formed in the late 1970s.
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Silk's nephew
Anthony Cruz recorded a tribute album in 2013, featuring cover versions of fifteen of Silk's songs.
423:, a two-CD set showcasing the ten tracks the singer had recorded during sessions for his unfinished second album.
391:, on 9 December, one offered to show him how they worked, at which point the gun accidentally misfired, hitting a
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studio, amongst them were the hits "Mama," "Seven
Spanish Angels," and a cover of the
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738:"Gold [Jet Star] - Garnett Silk : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards"
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Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books,
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Silk's son Garnet Smith Jr. has followed him into a career in music.
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Silk's music has been kept alive by several tributes, including
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228:, eventually converted Smith to his religion with the help of
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Garnett Silk Meets the Conquering Lion: a Dub Plate Selection
532:"Garnet Silk and the Superstars in Zion" (1996) Rhino Records
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Garnett Silk Meets the Conquering Lion: A Dub Plate Selection
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festivals. His set at the latter event was captured for the
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Tony Rebel Meets Garnett Silk in a Dance Hall Conference
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Tony Rebel Meets Garnett Silk in a Dancehall Conference
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Having signed an international distribution deal with
335:, as well as "Hey Mama Africa". he also recorded for
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371:and the cream of Jamaica's session men (including
151:; 2 April 1966 ā 9 December 1994) was a Jamaican
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726:, 10 September 2012, retrieved 10 September 2012
707:, 29 November 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014
768:, 2 November 2012, retrieved 10 November 2012
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478:Buju Banton Meets Garnett Silk and Tony Rebel
243:In 1989, at the suggestion of veteran singer
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589:(2001) Rhino (Garnett Silk & The DJs)
212:) was later released. In 1988, he joined
787:, 24 July 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013
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758:Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2012) "
599:The Very Best of Garnett Silk ā Gold
16:Jamaican reggae musician (1966-1994)
419:In 2000, Atlantic finally released
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605:Reggae Anthology: Music Is The Rod
410:Kilimanjaro Remembers Garnett Silk
235:, a close friend of both the DJs.
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736:Jo-Ann Greene (22 August 2000).
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577:(2001) Atlantic (2-CD edition)
429:also released a greatest hits
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873:People from Manchester Parish
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548:Live at Reggae Sunsplash 1994
494:Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders
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349:Live at Reggae Sunsplash 1994
893:Greensleeves Records artists
878:Accidental deaths in Jamaica
627:Garnet Silk Earth vibes 1994
312:, recording his debut album
308:in the studio with producer
301:label picked up for the US.
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699:Garnet Silk earns his name
853:Jamaican reggae musicians
716:Campbell, Howard (2012) "
575:The Definitive Collection
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421:The Definitive Collection
416:(Trojan/Sanctuary 2006).
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633:Garnett Silk and Friends
587:This Sound Leads The Way
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697:Bonitto, Brian (2014) "
639:Golden Voices of Reggae
581:Legends of Reggae Vol.5
385:Uziah "Sticky" Thompson
779:Tribute to Garnet Silk
562:(2000) Conquering Lion
542:Killamanjaro Remembers
367:studios with producer
40:Background information
868:Jamaican Rastafarians
822:11 March 2007 at the
512:Nothing Can Divide Us
412:(Jam Down, 1999) and
304:By 1992, Silk was in
295:Nothing Can Divide Us
202:Destiny Outernational
375:, Sly & Robbie,
204:(where he first met
583:(2001) Artists Only
480:(1993) Rhino (with
389:Mandeville, Jamaica
381:Earl "Chinna" Smith
363:, Silk now entered
275:Steely & Clevie
174:Manchester, Jamaica
149:Garnet Damion Smith
84:Mandeville, Jamaica
50:Garnet Damion Smith
888:VP Records artists
760:As smooth as Silk?
718:Jahpostles trod on
554:Collector's Series
488:Love Is The Answer
172:Smith was born in
641:(2005) Island MVD
431:compilation album
297:album, which the
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883:Deaths from fire
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809:Biography portal
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601:(2002) Jet Star
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168:Little Bimbo
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122:Greensleeves
105:Years active
79:(1994-12-09)
58:2 April 1966
18:
863:1994 deaths
858:1966 births
829:Yahoo music
482:Buju Banton
369:Errol Brown
291:Johnny Nash
233:Yasus Afari
157:Rastafarian
145:Garnet Silk
25:Garnet Silk
847:Categories
740:. AllMusic
646:References
635:(2002) MVD
629:(2003) DVD
593:Silky Mood
524:Reggae Max
400:Posthumous
318:hit single
263:King Tubby
226:Rastarfari
206:Tony Rebel
67:Manchester
46:Birth name
744:3 October
607:(1994) VP
595:(1995) VP
538:(1999) VP
520:(1996) VP
514:(1995) VP
507:Heartbeat
490:(1994) VP
468:(1993) VP
466:100% Silk
462:(1992) VP
365:Tuff Gong
287:Ocho Rios
253:Heartbeat
249:Bunny Lee
163:Biography
134:Penthouse
126:Heartbeat
98:dancehall
69:, Jamaica
820:Archived
611:Rule Dem
570:Atlantic
528:Jet Star
449:Releases
427:Jet Star
414:Rule Dem
306:Kingston
255:label's
230:dub poet
184:such as
130:Atlantic
838:YouTube
613:(2006)
568:(2000)
526:(1996)
518:Journey
505:(1994)
496:(1994)
406:Macka B
393:propane
327:1993's
210:Journey
685:
615:Trojan
454:Albums
383:, and
269:, and
200:, and
178:deejay
153:reggae
147:(born
114:Labels
94:Reggae
90:Genres
63:Origin
834:Video
355:Death
746:2012
683:ISBN
472:Gold
436:Gold
329:Gold
74:Died
55:Born
836:on
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216:'s
180:on
849::
654:^
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299:VP
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188:,
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124:,
120:,
118:VP
96:,
748:.
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