Carlene Davis
Encyclopedia
Carlene Davis is a Jamaican gospel
and reggae
singer active since the 1970s. Successful since the early 1980s as a reggae artist, she survived cancer in the mid-1990s, after which she dedicated her career to gospel music.
with her parents at the age of fourteen, where she began to perform professionally a year later, playing guitar in an all-girl band before joining the pop trio Toreadores. She then moved to Toronto
, Canada
where she lived for eight years. Davis initially found fame as a reggae singer. She recorded her debut single in Toronto, a version of "Leaving on a Jet Plane
", and had a local hit with a version of Jimmy Cliff
's "The Harder They Come
".
In 1980 she returned to Jamaica to further her career, and performed at the Reggae Sunsplash
festival in 1981. Also in 1981 she finished runner up in the Festival Song Contest with "Peace and Love". She had hits in Jamaica with "Like Old Friends Do", "It Must Be Love", "Winnie Mandela", "Stealing Love on the Side", "Dial My Number" and "Going Down to Paradise", and released a string of albums in the 1980s and first half of the 1990s, becoming one of Jamaica's most established female reggae artists. In 1985 she recorded a duet with Gregory Isaacs
— "Feeling Irie" — on his Private Beach Party
album. In 1990 she was named 'Best Female Vocalist' at the Caribbean Music Awards. She toured as part of the Reggae Sunsplash World Peace Tour in 1991.
In 1996 she was diagnosed with breast cancer
and her Christian
faith became a more important part of her life. She returned to recording gospel music, which she had first recorded in the early 1990s. She released the album Vessel in 1998, and in 2000 her single "This Island Needs Jesus" was a major hit in several Caribbean countries. She became involved in cancer charity work, with half of the proceeds from her 2003 album Author and Finisher going to the Jamaica Cancer Society. Davis has continued to perform regularly, including appearances at the Redbones Blues Revue, Fun in the Son, and Live On The Waterfront.
In 2000, Davis was named Minister of music for The Family Church on the Rock in Kingston
. In 2006 she gained a doctorate in pastoral counselling from the Trinity Theological Seminary in South Florida.
By the mid-2000s Davis had her own recording studio, Judah Recording, and the Glory Music productions record label, run with her husband Tommy Cowan
.
Compilations:
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and reggae
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 active since the 1970s. Successful since the early 1980s as a reggae artist, she survived cancer in the mid-1990s, after which she dedicated her career to gospel music.
Biography
Davis was born in Colonels Ridge, Clarendon Parish and moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with her parents at the age of fourteen, where she began to perform professionally a year later, playing guitar in an all-girl band before joining the pop trio Toreadores. She then moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where she lived for eight years. Davis initially found fame as a reggae singer. She recorded her debut single in Toronto, a version of "Leaving on a Jet Plane
Leaving on a Jet Plane
"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written by John Denver in 1966 and most famously recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary. The original title of the song was "Oh Babe I Hate to Go" but Denver's then producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the title....
", and had a local hit with a version of Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
's "The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come (song)
"The Harder They Come" is a reggae song by the Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff. It was first recorded for the soundtrack of the movie by the same name....
".
In 1980 she returned to Jamaica to further her career, and performed at the Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival...
festival in 1981. Also in 1981 she finished runner up in the Festival Song Contest with "Peace and Love". She had hits in Jamaica with "Like Old Friends Do", "It Must Be Love", "Winnie Mandela", "Stealing Love on the Side", "Dial My Number" and "Going Down to Paradise", and released a string of albums in the 1980s and first half of the 1990s, becoming one of Jamaica's most established female reggae artists. In 1985 she recorded a duet with 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....
— "Feeling Irie" — on his Private Beach Party
Private Beach Party
Private Beach Party is a 1985 album by the Jamaican reggae singer Gregory Isaacs. The album continued Isaacs' working relationship with producer Augustus "Gussie" Clarke, to whom he would return in 1988 for the hugely successful "Rumours" and Red Rose for Gregory...
album. In 1990 she was named 'Best Female Vocalist' at the Caribbean Music Awards. She toured as part of the Reggae Sunsplash World Peace Tour in 1991.
In 1996 she was diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and her Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
faith became a more important part of her life. She returned to recording gospel music, which she had first recorded in the early 1990s. She released the album Vessel in 1998, and in 2000 her single "This Island Needs Jesus" was a major hit in several Caribbean countries. She became involved in cancer charity work, with half of the proceeds from her 2003 album Author and Finisher going to the Jamaica Cancer Society. Davis has continued to perform regularly, including appearances at the Redbones Blues Revue, Fun in the Son, and Live On The Waterfront.
In 2000, Davis was named Minister of music for The Family Church on the Rock in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. In 2006 she gained a doctorate in pastoral counselling from the Trinity Theological Seminary in South Florida.
By the mid-2000s Davis had her own recording studio, Judah Recording, and the Glory Music productions record label, run with her husband Tommy Cowan
Tommy Cowan
Tommy Cowan is a producer and singer, initially working in reggae but later concentrating on gospel, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s...
.
Discography
- I Remember (19??), Pioneer International
- At the Right Time (1980), Carib Gems
- Paradise (1984), Orange
- Yesterday Today Forever (198?), Nicole Music
- Taking Control (1987), Nicole Music
- Reggae Songbird (1990), Peter Pan
- Gospel Reggae (1991), VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
- No Bias (1991), Sonic Sounds
- Carlene Davis (1992), Gee StreetGee Street RecordsGee Street Records was a British hip hop record label started by Jon Baker in 1985. The label's name came from its original location, a converted warehouse on Gee Street in London....
- Taking Control (1992), VP
- Songs of Bob Marley (1993), Eko/VP
- Christmas Reggae Rock (1992), Orchard
- Jesus Is Only A Prayer Away (1992)
- Songs of Freedom (1993), Lagoon
- Echoes of Love (1995), VP
- Passion & Pain (1995), Avex
- Vessel (1998), Jet StarJet StarJet Star was a United Kingdom record distribution company that grew out of Pama Records in 1978. It was one of the largest distributors of reggae music, the company themselves claiming the title "the world's largest reggae distributors".-History:Jet Star was formed in 1978 by the Palmer Brothers,...
- Redeemed (2000), VP
- Alive For Jesus (2002), Gospel Times
- Christmas Everyday (2002)
- Author and Finisher (2003), Glory/VP
- Rock Me Jesus (2005), VP/Universal
- True Worship (2009), VP/Glory
Compilations:
- The 15 Classics (1991), Sonic Sounds
- Best of Glory (2009), VP