Judy Mowatt
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Judy Mowatt | |
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 Mowatt in 1980 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Judith Veronica Mowatt |
| Born | 1952 (age 71–72) Gordon Town, Jamaica |
| Genres | Reggae Roots Reggae Gospel |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1967 – present |
| Labels | Tuff Gong, Shanachie Records |
Judith Veronica Mowatt, OD (born 1952) is a Jamaican reggae artist. As well as being a solo artist, from 1974 she was also a member of the I Threes, the trio of backing vocalists for Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Early life[edit]
Mowatt was born in Gordon Town, St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica. At the age of 13, she 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.
Career[edit]
In 1974, Mowatt got her big break by joining Bob Marley's backing vocal trio the "I Threes".[1]
Her Black Woman album (Ashandan, 1979) came out the same year as I Three member Marcia Griffiths's album At Studio One. It is considered by many critics to be the greatest reggae album by a female artist.[2] It was also the first reggae album recorded by a woman acting as her own producer.[3]
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.[citation needed]
Formerly a member of the Rastafari movement, in the late 1990s she converted to Christianity and now sings Gospel music.[2]
In 1999 the Jamaican government made her an Officer of the Order of Distinction for "services to music".
Identity mixup[edit]
Some sources wrongfully assumed Judy Mowatt to be identical to Jean Watt (the longtime wife of Bunny Livingston/Wailer).[4] This mixup possibly originated from Mowatt using several different stage names, for legal reasons, in the early 1970’s: Julianne, Julie-Ann, and Jean. Bunny Wailer credited his wife, Jean Watt, for writing some of the tracks recorded during sessions for the album Burnin' (1973): "Hallelujah Time", “Pass It On" and "Reincarnated Soul”. The latter song first appeared on a single as B Side to “Concrete Jungle” and later - with the name changed to "Reincarnated Souls" – on Bunny Wailer's first solo album Blackheart Man (1976).
Discography[edit]
- Mellow Mood (1975), Tuff Gong
- Black Woman (1979), Ashandan / (1980), Grove Music (Island Records)
- Mr. Dee-J (1981), Ashandan
- Only A Woman (1982), Shanachie
- Working Wonders (1985), Shanachie, Ashandan
- Love Is Overdue (1986), Shanachie
- I Shall Sing (1991), Trojan Records
- 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 Three[edit]
- Beginning (1986), Tuff Gong / EMI - with Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths, credited to 'I-Three'
with the Gaylettes[edit]
- We Shall Sing (Girl Group Rocksteady, Reggae And Soul 1967-73) (2001), Westside (compilation)
- Rescue Me (1967-1973) (2016), Roots Reggae Library (compilation)
References[edit]
- ^ "Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ a b Howard Campbell (26 February 2014). "Black Woman Judy Mowatt". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014.
- ^ "Black Woman - Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ Moskowitz, David (2007) The Words and Music of Bob Marley, p. 162 (Chapter 3, note 32).
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