Judy Mowatt
| Judy Mowatt | |
|---|---|
 Judy Mowatt at Gröna Lund, 1977 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Judith Veronica Mowatt |
| Born |
1952 (age 63–64) Gordon Town, Jamaica |
| Genres |
Reggae Roots Reggae Gospel |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1967 – present |
| Labels | Tuff Gong, Shanachie Records |
| Associated acts |
The Wailers Bunny Wailer Peter Tosh I-Threes |
Judy Mowatt OD (born 1952) is a Jamaican reggae artist who rose to fame as part of the trio the "I Threes", the backing vocalists for Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Biography
Born Judith Veronica Mowatt in Gordon Town, St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica. At the age of 13 Mowatt 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.
Mowatt was associated with Bunny Livingston/Wailer in the early 1970s, and wrote some of the tracks he recorded. At that time, for legal reasons, she used the names Juliann and Jean Watt.[1] On The Wailers album Burnin' (1973), two songs written by their singer Bunny Wailer were credited to Judy Mowatt under the pseudonym Jean Watt: "Hallelujah Time" and "Pass It On". Furthermore, the B Side of Concrete Jungle, "Reincarnated Soul", also credited to Jean Watt and sung by Bunny Wailer. This song – with the name changed to "Reincarnated Souls" – was included two years later on Bunny Wailer's first solo album Blackheart Man (1976).
In 1974, she got her big break by joining Bob Marley's backing vocal trio the "I Threes".[2]
Her Black Woman album (1980) is considered by many critics to be the greatest reggae album by a female artiste.[3] It was also the first reggae album recorded by a woman acting as her own producer.[4]
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.
Formerly a member of the Rastafari movement,[5] in the late 1990s she converted to Christianity and now sings Gospel music.[3]
In 1999 the Jamaican government made her an Officer of the Order of Distinction for "services to music".[5]
Discography
- Mellow Mood (1975), Tuff Gong
- Black Woman (1980), Shanachie
- Mr. Dee-J (1981), Ashandan
- Only A Woman (1982), Shanachie
- Working Wonders (1985), Ashandan
- Love Is Overdue (1986), Shanachie
- 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 Threes
- 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
- ↑ Moskowitz, David (2007) The Words and Music of Bob Marley, p. 162 (Chapter 3, note 32).
- ↑ "Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- 1 2 Campbell, Howard (2014) "Black Woman Judy Mowatt", Jamaica Observer, 26 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014
- ↑ "Black Woman - Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- 1 2 "Judy Mowatt Biography". Musician Guide. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
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