Lorna Bennett
Encyclopedia
Lorna Bennett is a reggae
singer who twice topped the Jamaican singles chart in the early 1970s, and who is best remembered for her reggae version of "Breakfast in Bed
".
and while still at school began singing with the Bare Essential Band, who performed at the Excelsior nightclub
. At one of these performances she was noticed by Geoffrey Chung
of the Now Generation band, who nurtured her early recording career. A recording of "Morning Has Broken
" was not commercially successful, but led to producer Harry Johnson commissioning Chung to record Bennett's version of Dusty Springfield
's "Breakfast in Bed" in 1972, given a reggae arrangement by Chung, which was a success both locally and in the United Kingdom and the United States. The b-side featured a deejay
version of the track by Scotty
. Bennett became the first female artist to top the singles chart in Jamaica for five years, a feat repeated with the follow-up, a cover of The Dixie Cups
' "Chapel of Love
". Further recordings followed, while Bennett at the same time studied Law
at university, these forming her debut album, This is Lorna. Bennett put her music career on hold while she moved to Barbados
to complete her degree, but on her return in 1974 recorded the Pluto Shervington
song "Dancing to my Own Heartbeat". She then gave up her musical career, and moved back to St. Elizabeth and opened a legal practice.
In 2001, she decided to return to music, and performed at Christmas Vintage shows and the Heineken Startime concerts, as well as performances in Miami and England
. She then began working on new material with Sly & Robbie. In 2003, Bennett delivered a eulogy at the funeral of David "Scotty" Scott, the deejay with whom she had shared her first number one single.
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 who twice topped the Jamaican singles chart in the early 1970s, and who is best remembered for her reggae version of "Breakfast in Bed
Breakfast in Bed
"Breakfast in Bed" is a soul–R&B song written by Muscle Shoals songwriters Eddie Hinton and Donnie Fritts for Dusty Springfield. It takes a knowing spin on the line "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", the title of a song which had previously been a number one hit for her in the UK...
".
Biography
Born in St. Elizabeth, Bennett went to school in KingstonKingston, 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...
and while still at school began singing with the Bare Essential Band, who performed at the Excelsior nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. At one of these performances she was noticed by Geoffrey Chung
Geoffrey Chung
Geoffrey Chung was a Jamaican musician, recording engineer, and record producer.-Biography:Chung was born in 1950 in Kingston, Jamaica...
of the Now Generation band, who nurtured her early recording career. A recording of "Morning Has Broken
Morning Has Broken
"Morning Has Broken" is a popular and well-known Christian hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and is set to a traditional Gaelic tune known as "Bunessan" . It is often sung in children's services...
" was not commercially successful, but led to producer Harry Johnson commissioning Chung to record Bennett's version of Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
's "Breakfast in Bed" in 1972, given a reggae arrangement by Chung, which was a success both locally and in the United Kingdom and the United States. The b-side featured a deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
version of the track by Scotty
Scotty (musician)
Scotty performed as a reggae vocalist and deejay.-Biography:...
. Bennett became the first female artist to top the singles chart in Jamaica for five years, a feat repeated with the follow-up, a cover of The Dixie Cups
The Dixie Cups
The Dixie Cups are an American pop music girl group of the 1960s. They are best known for their 1964 million selling disc, "Chapel of Love".-Career:...
' "Chapel of Love
Chapel of Love
"Chapel of Love" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, and made famous by The Dixie Cups in 1964, spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. There have also been many other versions of this song...
". Further recordings followed, while Bennett at the same time studied Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at university, these forming her debut album, This is Lorna. Bennett put her music career on hold while she moved to Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
to complete her degree, but on her return in 1974 recorded the Pluto Shervington
Pluto Shervington
Pluto Shervington, also known as Pluto , is a reggae musician, singer, engineer and producer.-Career:...
song "Dancing to my Own Heartbeat". She then gave up her musical career, and moved back to St. Elizabeth and opened a legal practice.
In 2001, she decided to return to music, and performed at Christmas Vintage shows and the Heineken Startime concerts, as well as performances in Miami and England
England
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...
. She then began working on new material with Sly & Robbie. In 2003, Bennett delivered a eulogy at the funeral of David "Scotty" Scott, the deejay with whom she had shared her first number one single.
Singles
- "I Believe in You" (1970), Harry J
- "Letter From Miami" (1970), Harry J/Decca
- "Morning Has Broken" (1971)
- "Breakfast in Bed" (1972), Harry J - JA #1
- "Skank In Bed" (1972), Blue Mountain - with Scotty
- "Going to the Chapel" (1973), Harry J - JA #1
- "It Hurts to Want it so Bad", Harry J
- "I Love Every Little Thing About You" (1973), Harry J
- "I'm Satisfied", (197?), Harry J
- "Stay With You Awhile" (197?), Harry J
- "Run Johnny Run" (1975), Jaywax/Trojan
- "Reverend Lee" (1976), Harry J/Trojan
- "To the Other Woman" (1976), Harry J/Trojan
- "Dancing to my Own Heartbeat" (1974), Wild Flower
- "Ease Up", Elizabeth
- "Stay With Me" (197?), Harung
- "It's My House" (1979), High Note
- "The Real Thing" (2006), Taxi
- "Knock Knock" (2006), Taxi
- "How U Like It" (200?), - featuring Spragga BenzSpragga Benz-Career:He began his career around 1991. Once known to his friends as "Spaghetti" , but this was later shortened to Spragga. The Benz in his name comes from the sound system for which he used to work for, L.A. Benz, and it is through this that he found his way into the music industry at a Dubplate...