Ernie Smith (singer)

Ernie Smith
Ernie Smith appearing at Jamaica Awareness Association of California (JAAC) 25th Anniversary event in Los Angeles on 5 November 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith
Born	May 1945 (age 71)
Origin	Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae
Instruments	Vocals
Associated acts	The Vandals

Ernie Smith (born Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith, May 1945, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae singer, with a deep baritone voice, who had his greatest success in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Smith was born in Kingston in May 1945 and raised in St. Ann and May Pen. His father played guitar and bought him an instrument when he was twelve. He played guitar in the band The Vandals in Claremont, St. Ann, after leaving school, and was nicknamed 'Ernie' after Ernest Ranglin. He initially (unsuccessfully) sought a career as a radio announcer, but then approached Federal Studios looking for work as a songwriter, ending up recording his songs himself. His first recordings were not a success and Smith spent time working in life insurance before returning to the studio.

Recording initially in an easy listening style, Smith's first chart success came in the late 1960s with "Bend Down", which was followed by Jamaican number one hits in "Ride on Sammy," "One Dream," and "Pitta Patta", all produced by Richard Khouri at Federal, the latter based on Lee "Scratch" Perry's "Musical Transplant" rhythm, which was voted the best song of the year in Swing magazine. In 1972, he won the Yamaha Music Festival in Japan with "Life Is Just For Living", a song originally written for a Red Stripe commercial. In 1973, he was honoured by the Jamaican government with The Badge of Honour For Meritorious Service in the Field of Music. An album, Life Is Just For Living followed in 1974 on Trojan Records. "Pitta Patta" was followed by further Jamaican hits with "Duppy or Gunman" and "Key Card". Smith also had success with covers of popular songs such as "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and "Everything I Own", and as a songwriter had success at the Festival Song Contest in 1974 with Tinga Stewart's "Play De Music". Smith's "I Can't Take It" topped the UK Singles Chart in 1975 when recorded by Johnny Nash under the title "Tears on My Pillow". The change of title led to Smith initially missing out on royalties due to confusion with the Little Anthony song of the same name.