Maxi Priest
Encyclopedia
Max Alfred "Maxi" Priest (born 10 June 1961) is a British reggae
vocalist of Jamaica
n descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion
, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most successful reggae fusion acts of all-time.
, London
. His parents moved to England from Jamaica to provide more opportunity for their family and he grew up listening to gospel
, reggae, R&B
, and pop music
. His music
is sometimes closer to R&B, and pop, than to reggae music itself. His uncle, Jacob Miller
, a reggae icon, was the frontman in the popular reggae group Inner Circle and his son, Ryan Elliott, was a member of the boy band
Ultimate Kaos
.
Priest's musical career began with him singing on the South London
reggae soundsystem Saxon Studio International
, after which some independent single releases followed. His first major album
was the self-titled Maxi Priest (1988) which, along with his cover of Cat Stevens
' "Wild World
", established him as one of the top British reggae singers.
He is one of only two British
reggae acts (along with UB40
) to have an American
Billboard number one: "Close to You
" in 1990. A duet
with Roberta Flack
, "Set the Night to Music
", reached the American Top Ten in 1991. His duet with Shaggy
in 1996, "That Girl", was also a hit in the United States, peaking at number twenty.
In the latter half of his recording career, Priest has favoured working alongside other artists, both established and up-and-coming. He has worked with Sly & Robbie, Shaggy
, Beres Hammond
, Jazzie B
, Apache Indian, Roberta Flack
, Shurwayne Winchester
, Shabba Ranks
and Lee Ritenour
.
It was reported in some newspapers in the Birmingham
area, including the Birmingham Mail
on 13 March 2008, that Priest would be replacing Ali Campbell
as the new lead singer of UB40, and that he had recorded a cover of Bob Marley
’s "I Shot the Sheriff
" with the band, based on information from "an unnamed source close to the band." Priest had joined UB40 on tour in 2007, culminating in sell out shows at the National Exhibition Centre
(NEC) in Solihull
in December. Another local newspaper, the Express & Star
that had reported that Priest would be the new UB40 frontman, included a statement from band spokesman Gerard Franklyn which contradicted the claim, stating "Maxi is collaborating with the band to record material but he won't be the new lead singer, that will be Duncan Campbell, the brother of Ali and Robin Campbell. He will only be appearing with them for this new recording."
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...
vocalist of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion
Reggae fusion
Reggae fusion is a fusion genre of reggae that mixes reggae or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, house, jazz & drum and bass....
, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most successful reggae fusion acts of all-time.
Career
Maxi Priest was born in LewishamLewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His parents moved to England from Jamaica to provide more opportunity for their family and he grew up listening to gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
, reggae, R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. His music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
is sometimes closer to R&B, and pop, than to reggae music itself. His uncle, Jacob Miller
Jacob Miller
Jacob Miller was a Jamaican reggae artist who first recorded with Clement Dodd. While pursuing a prolific solo career, he became the lead singer for reggae group Inner Circle with whom he recorded until his death in a car accident at the age of 27.-Biography:Jacob Miller was born in Mandeville,...
, a reggae icon, was the frontman in the popular reggae group Inner Circle and his son, Ryan Elliott, was a member of the boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
Ultimate Kaos
Ultimate Kaos
Ultimate KAOS was a British boyband from the 1990s, who were formed by Simon Cowell. Its original members comprised the then 9 years old Haydon Eshun, Jomo Baxter, Jayde Delpratt, Ryan Elliott and Nick Grant.-Career:...
.
Priest's musical career began with him singing on the South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
reggae soundsystem Saxon Studio International
Saxon Studio International
Saxon Studio International is one of the best known London reggae soundsystems. It is notable for being the first UK soundsystem to win an international competition and also being where three artists who went on to achieve UK Top Forty hits first came to prominence.Saxon Studio International began...
, after which some independent single releases followed. His first major album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
was the self-titled Maxi Priest (1988) which, along with his cover of Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
' "Wild World
Wild World
"Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. It first appeared on his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, recorded and released in 1970 and, continuing the change in Stevens' sound, after leaving Deram Records and signing with Island Records...
", established him as one of the top British reggae singers.
He is one of only two British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reggae acts (along with UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
) to have an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard number one: "Close to You
Close to You (Maxi Priest song)
"Close to You" is a song recorded by British reggae singer Maxi Priest. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 6 October 1990, reached #2 on the ARIA Charts in Australia and #7 on the UK Singles Chart, and was covered by trance act Origene in 2003....
" in 1990. A duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, "Set the Night to Music
Set the Night to Music
Set the Night to Music is an album released by Roberta Flack in 1991 on Atlantic Records. The title track, written by Diane Warren and originally the 11th track of Starship's 1987 album No Protection, was remade as a duet with Maxi Priest and reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2...
", reached the American Top Ten in 1991. His duet with Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
in 1996, "That Girl", was also a hit in the United States, peaking at number twenty.
In the latter half of his recording career, Priest has favoured working alongside other artists, both established and up-and-coming. He has worked with Sly & Robbie, Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
, Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond is a reggae singer known in particular for his romantic lovers rock and soulful voice...
, Jazzie B
Jazzie B
Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE , better known by his stage name Jazzie B, is a British DJ, music producer, and entrepreneur. He is a founding member of Soul II Soul.-Life and career:...
, Apache Indian, Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, Shurwayne Winchester
Shurwayne Winchester
Shurwayne Winchester is a soca musician from Trinidad and Tobago, who has twice won the Road March title.-Biography:He was born and raised on Tobago. At the age of 12, he entered the competition arena, consistently making yearly contributions that impressed and propelled him to advanced stages...
, Shabba Ranks
Shabba Ranks
Shabba Ranks is a Jamaican dancehall musician.He was one of the most popular dancehall artists of his generation. He was also one of the first Jamaican deejays to gain worldwide acceptance, and recognition for his 'slack' lyrical expressions and content, when "ridin' di riddim"...
and Lee Ritenour
Lee Ritenour
Lee Mack Ritenour is an American jazz guitarist who has recorded over 42 albums, appeared on over 3000 sessions, and has charted over 30 instrumental and vocal contemporary jazz hits since 1976. One of his most popular songs was the smash hit, “Is It You” in 1981. Ritenour is considered to be a...
.
It was reported in some newspapers in the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
area, including the Birmingham Mail
Birmingham Mail
The Birmingham Mail is a tabloid newspaper based in Birmingham, UK but distributed around Birmingham, The Black Country, Solihull, Warwickshire and parts of Worcestershire and Staffordshire. The newspaper, which was re-branded from the Birmingham Evening Mail in October 2005, is one of the biggest...
on 13 March 2008, that Priest would be replacing Ali Campbell
Ali Campbell
Ali Campbell, , is a British singer, solo artist and songwriter and was the lead singer and founding member of UB40. As part of UB40, Campbell sold over 70 million records world wide and toured the globe for 30 years. In 2008 Campbell left UB40 and embarked on a successful solo career.-Personal...
as the new lead singer of UB40, and that he had recorded a cover of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
’s "I Shot the Sheriff
I Shot the Sheriff
"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The...
" with the band, based on information from "an unnamed source close to the band." Priest had joined UB40 on tour in 2007, culminating in sell out shows at the National Exhibition Centre
National Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
(NEC) in Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
in December. Another local newspaper, the Express & Star
Express & Star
The Express & Star is an evening newspaper based in Wolverhampton, England, published Monday to Saturday in nine different editions covering the Black Country, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area from Tamworth to Kidderminster. It as widely perceived as being moderately right-wing...
that had reported that Priest would be the new UB40 frontman, included a statement from band spokesman Gerard Franklyn which contradicted the claim, stating "Maxi is collaborating with the band to record material but he won't be the new lead singer, that will be Duncan Campbell, the brother of Ali and Robin Campbell. He will only be appearing with them for this new recording."
Albums
- Intentions (1986) #96 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
- Maxi Priest (1988) #108 USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; #25 UK - BonafideBonafide (Maxi Priest album)Bonafide is 1990 album by pop/reggae singer Maxi Priest. It was released on Charisma Records; his first for the label, though his fifth recording overall...
(1990) #47 U.S.; #11 UK - Fe Real (1992) #191 U.S.; #60 UK
- Man with the Fun (1996) #108 US
- CombiNation (1999)
- 2 the Max (2005)
- Refused (2007)
Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
US AC | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Strollin' On" | - | - | - | 32 | Intentions | |
| "In the Springtime" | - | - | - | 54 | You're Safe | ||
| "Crazy Love" | - | - | - | 67 | Intentions | ||
| 1987 | "Let Me Know" | - | - | - | 49 | ||
| "Woman in You" | - | - | - | - | |||
| "Some Guys Have All the Luck" | - | - | - | 57 | |||
| 1989 | "Wild World" | 25 | - | - | 5 | Maxi Priest | |
| 1990 | "Human Work of Art" | - | - | - | 71 | Bonafide | |
| "Close to You Close to You (Maxi Priest song) "Close to You" is a song recorded by British reggae singer Maxi Priest. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 6 October 1990, reached #2 on the ARIA Charts in Australia and #7 on the UK Singles Chart, and was covered by trance act Origene in 2003.... " |
1 | 2 | 15 | 7 | |||
| "Just a Little Bit Longer" | 62 | 30 | - | 62 | |||
| 1991 | "Space in My Heart" | - | 76 | - | - | ||
| "Set the Night to Music" (with Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music... ) |
6 | 45 | 2 | - | Set the Night to Music (Roberta Flack) | ||
| 1992 | "Groovin' in the Midnight" | 63 | 29 | - | 50 | Fe Real | |
| 1993 | "One More Chance" | - | 77 | - | 40 | ||
| 1996 | "That Girl" (with Shaggy Shaggy (musician) Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"... ) |
20 | 34 | - | 15 | Man with the Fun | |
| "Watching the World Go By" | - | - | - | 36 | |||
| 2009 | "2 Play feat Maxi Priest - That's what the girls like (Sam Young & Jack Black Mix)" | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2011 | "Maxi Priest - African Sky" | - | - | - | - | Shine On! Songs Volume One |