Renford Cogle
Encyclopedia
Renford "Rennie" Cogle is a singer and songwriter whose career spans more than three decades and about as many continents. His musical career started in 1972 when his friend, the late Delroy "Smooth Operator" Wilson
, listened to his music and recorded "You Keep On Running". This was to be the first of many number one hits written by Cogle. Subsequent songs such as "Sweet Rose"; "Ring of Gold"; "Rock It To Me"; "Babylon Policy" and "Passion of Love" became international hit singles and were performed by Tony Brevett and The Melodians
.
"Everybody Balling"; "Heart Breaking Love"; "Build Me Up"; "By the Rivers of Babylon"; "It's My Delight" and "Sweet Sensation", performed by Brent Dowe, are among the other hit songs he has written. "Sweet Sensation" was a worldwide success for British group UB40
. It's been featured in the movie soundtrack Harder They Come and EastEnders
, a popular British television soap opera. "Sweet Sensation" has been recently re-recorded by the Detroit Cobras. Cogle has also written Sharon Blacks "Struggling", Marcia Griffiths "Survival" and Joe Coleman's "The Way I Feel For You".
In 1982 Cogle contacted Polygram Records
which is now Universal Music Publishers and signed a contract with them for thirty-nine of his songs. In 1987 the contract with Universal Music Publishers was re-written to include additional songs he had written; by 1997 this contract was finalized.
, Jamaica
, W.I. on June 20, 1948 to Roberto Cogle and Doris Brown. He first attended Tweedside Primary School in Clarendon, Jamaica where his grandmother resided. His father, Roberto Cogle was a descendant of Irish immigrants. At the age of 12 he was taken back to Kingston by his mother and father. As a child, Cogle attained his early schooling at the Ebenezer Primary School located at Spanish Town Road and Darling Street. Ebenezer Primary School was later to become Operation Friendship. The students were then transferred to Denham Town Primary School where he found a passion in writing poetry. He later put melody to the words, and performed the songs during weekly music concerts.
The concerts were a significant part of the early development for music appreciation at the primary level. He says, "Every Friday, school concerts were held and students were encouraged to perform using their special talents. I used to sing the songs I wrote and they were always well received."
Cogle was an exceptional student and while at Denham Town Primary School, he took the Common Entrance Examination and received a government scholarship to attend Knockalva Agricultural Training School (KATC) in Montpelier, Hanover. He graduated after three years and received another government scholarship to attend the Jamaica School of Agriculture in Twickenham Park in St. Catherine, Jamaica. He received yet a third scholarship to attend U.W.I. St. Augustine in Trinidad but due to the passing of his mother at the time he turned it down. The passing of his mother he says was, "devastating to me."
He went on to work for the now defunct Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) at its head office where he stayed for seven years. He has three brothers and one surviving sister of two. His father is also deceased.
in Germany where he continued to write songs, recording them to tape cassettes; he also searched for his records for as he says, "I did not know where else other than Jamaica my records were."
He was assigned to Tank Unit where he was in charge of ordering parts for the army tanks in the field. His vehicle was specially built to carry tank parts so that when the need arose for tanks to get replacements, they would be readily available. Cogle remained in Germany for four years. At the end of his tour, he was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso
, Texas
near the Mexican border. In 1985, six years after serving the United States Army, he was honorably discharged with the title Specialist IV
.
Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer.-Biography:Wilson released his first single "Emy Lou" in 1961 for record producer, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, at the age of thirteen...
, listened to his music and recorded "You Keep On Running". This was to be the first of many number one hits written by Cogle. Subsequent songs such as "Sweet Rose"; "Ring of Gold"; "Rock It To Me"; "Babylon Policy" and "Passion of Love" became international hit singles and were performed by Tony Brevett and The Melodians
The Melodians
The Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett , Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton...
.
"Everybody Balling"; "Heart Breaking Love"; "Build Me Up"; "By the Rivers of Babylon"; "It's My Delight" and "Sweet Sensation", performed by Brent Dowe, are among the other hit songs he has written. "Sweet Sensation" was a worldwide success for British group 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...
. It's been featured in the movie soundtrack Harder They Come and EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, a popular British television soap opera. "Sweet Sensation" has been recently re-recorded by the Detroit Cobras. Cogle has also written Sharon Blacks "Struggling", Marcia Griffiths "Survival" and Joe Coleman's "The Way I Feel For You".
In 1982 Cogle contacted Polygram Records
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
which is now Universal Music Publishers and signed a contract with them for thirty-nine of his songs. In 1987 the contract with Universal Music Publishers was re-written to include additional songs he had written; by 1997 this contract was finalized.
Early life
Cogle was born in the Denham Town area of 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...
, 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...
, W.I. on June 20, 1948 to Roberto Cogle and Doris Brown. He first attended Tweedside Primary School in Clarendon, Jamaica where his grandmother resided. His father, Roberto Cogle was a descendant of Irish immigrants. At the age of 12 he was taken back to Kingston by his mother and father. As a child, Cogle attained his early schooling at the Ebenezer Primary School located at Spanish Town Road and Darling Street. Ebenezer Primary School was later to become Operation Friendship. The students were then transferred to Denham Town Primary School where he found a passion in writing poetry. He later put melody to the words, and performed the songs during weekly music concerts.
The concerts were a significant part of the early development for music appreciation at the primary level. He says, "Every Friday, school concerts were held and students were encouraged to perform using their special talents. I used to sing the songs I wrote and they were always well received."
Cogle was an exceptional student and while at Denham Town Primary School, he took the Common Entrance Examination and received a government scholarship to attend Knockalva Agricultural Training School (KATC) in Montpelier, Hanover. He graduated after three years and received another government scholarship to attend the Jamaica School of Agriculture in Twickenham Park in St. Catherine, Jamaica. He received yet a third scholarship to attend U.W.I. St. Augustine in Trinidad but due to the passing of his mother at the time he turned it down. The passing of his mother he says was, "devastating to me."
He went on to work for the now defunct Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) at its head office where he stayed for seven years. He has three brothers and one surviving sister of two. His father is also deceased.
Adult life
In 1976 Cogle immigrated to New York and in 1979 he joined the United States Army. He was sent to South Carolina for basic training and then to Fort Lee in New Jersey to do an eight month course in clerical and book-keeping studies. On finishing the eight month course, Cogle was deployed to WiesbadenWiesbaden Army Airfield
Wiesbaden Army Airfield or WAAF is located southeast of the city of Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany. It was selected as the site for Headquarters, United States Air Forces in Europe on 28 September 1945, in large part due to its proximity to Frankfurt am Main, where the U.S. Seventh Army was...
in Germany where he continued to write songs, recording them to tape cassettes; he also searched for his records for as he says, "I did not know where else other than Jamaica my records were."
He was assigned to Tank Unit where he was in charge of ordering parts for the army tanks in the field. His vehicle was specially built to carry tank parts so that when the need arose for tanks to get replacements, they would be readily available. Cogle remained in Germany for four years. At the end of his tour, he was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
near the Mexican border. In 1985, six years after serving the United States Army, he was honorably discharged with the title Specialist IV
Specialist (rank)
Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...
.
Other Ventures
Cogle has recently collaborated with Avis 'Singing R.N.' Williams, writing the song “Can You Feel It” for her album Avis Unwinds. Back To School is another album which Cogle is currently working on.Music Awards
- 1969 Provisional Member of the Performing Rights Society. London, England.
- 1970 Song of the Year Award “Sweet Sensation.” Jamaica, W.I.
- 1973 Song of the Year Award “Build Me Up.” Jamaica, W.I.
- 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award from Culture Jam –Star Entertainment Faces Entertainment and Marketing Inc. U.S.A.
- 2007 International Songwriters Award from Icons of Soul (Fourth Edition). U.S.A
- 2008 Songwriter of the Year from Media, Magazine and Radio Personalities. U.S.A.
- 2009 Best Album Award Renford Cogle – The Man and His Music from the Music Alliance Association. U.S.A.
- He was placed second in the Tokyo Song Festival for “No Sweeter Way to Work it Out.”
- 2010 Winner Special Producers "Respect" Award - International Reggae and World Music Awards(IRAWMA). U.S.A.