Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
LEFT: Reggae singer Marcia Griffiths holds her audience.
RIGHT: Griffiths with her close friend Donovan Germain (centre) and another entertainer, Tony Rebel.

Misha Lobban, Contributor

Friends are those who nourish the spirit.
- Anonymous

Popularly known as the Queen of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths is a top-class reggae artiste whose soothing sound continues to appeal to all ages.

She began her career in the music industry in 1964 as a vocalist for Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. Her experience in recording started soon after at Coxsone Dodd - Studio One, where she recorded her first hit Feel Like Jumping. While recording at Studio One, she teamed up with Bob Andy and the two produced some great duos.

Ten years later, Marcia united with Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley to form the I-Threes, a background group for the legendary Bob Marley and the Wailers.

In 1982, Marcia gained solo recognition with the release of her hit song, Electric Boogie, which topped the Jamaican charts. The song exploded on the international scene in 1989, when it created the electric slide, an international dance craze. Electric Boogie made the Billboard pop charts and singles chart and remains the highest-selling single by a female reggae singer.

An indomitable force in Jamaica's music industry, Marcia received the Prime Minister's Award of Excellence in 2002 and in 2004 she celebrated 40 years in the music business.

Her close friend is her manager/producer and founder of Penthouse Records, Donovan Germain, with whose support, her career has experienced a renaissance since 1988. Under Germain's management, she has had an energetic chart run, recording with other internationally recognised Penthouse artistes such as Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Cutty Ranks and Wayne Wonder. Recently, VP Records released Melody Life, a two-CD collection of 30 songs that tracks Griffiths' career to the days of Dodd's Studio One, to her time with producers Harry 'Harry J' Johnson, Lloyd Charmers and Sonia Pottinger in the 1970s.

Marcia, in recommending Germain as the person to be interviewed as her close friend, describes him as the first producer to have made a difference in her life personally and professionally, and adds that he is a very good human being, who is true to his word and one on whom she can always depend.

Through the eyes of Donovan Germain, we learn of Marica's first love, which is cooking. We learn of the joy she experiences preparing meals for those who visit her house on a regular basis for a taste of her natural blend juices and vegetarian meals made from organic foods. We also learn of Marcia's love for the piano/keyboard and the special gift she has for playing the piano by ear, and much more, in this week's feature.

How did you meet Marcia Griffiths, and how long have you been friends?

I have known Marcia since 1986. I was living in New York and I had a song that I wanted to record with her, so I came to Jamaica and I think it was Sly Dunbar who took me to meet her. We discussed the song, which was entitled Everywhere, and later recorded it at Tuff Gong Studios. It was actually a song originally done by Fleetwood Mac, an Australian group of musicians, and we did a reggae version of the song and it did very well in Europe.

Since then, Marcia and I have developed a fruitful professional and personal relationship. Right now, I am her manager/producer and we are now working on her next album entitled, Marcia Griffiths and Friends. This is a collaboration between herself and Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Queen Afrika, Lady Saw, Etana, and others.

Through our professional association we began to spend time together outside of the studio and we developed a friendship that transcends business. We now share the personal aspects of our lives.

Tell us what you admire most about her and why you think you have remained friends all these years.

One of the things I admire about her from a professional standpoint is her love, continued dedication and enthusiasm for reggae music and the music industry.

On the personal side, I admire her hospitality, her love for her family and for people in general. She has an open-door policy at her house, and so she always has people coming over to her house and she just enjoys cooking and entertaining them.

Last night (March 7) was my birthday and she went out of her way to call up the radio station to wish me happy birthday and to call up everyone to organise a surprise birthday party for me at the Hilton Kingston hotel, and I really appreciate her for that. She is always thinking about other people, and that's what I like about her.

Tell us something interesting about Marcia.

What many people don't know is that Marcia loves to cook (especially natural and organic foods). She is an excellent cook and she is always preparing meals for people who visit her house.

She enjoys spending time in the kitchen making green juices and other natural blended juices and cooking up vegetarian dishes, and people really enjoy her cooking.

Another interesting thing about her is that she doesn't only have a gift for singing, but she plays the piano very well.

(Outlook later learnt from Marcia that during the 1960s while she was at Studio One, she discovered that the legendary Jackie Mittoo had learnt to play the piano by ear. "I love the keyboard and relate to it when I am on stage. I have to hear it and connect with it when I am singing.")

What are some of the things you talk about when you get together?

We mostly talk about music and the music industry. We also talk about her family. She has three sons (Errol Thompson Jr, Johannes and Marcus) who she loves very much and practically reared on her own.

Share with us one of the happiest moments you have experienced with her.

The happiest moment for me was in 2004 when she celebrated 40 years in the music industry. The outpouring of love and tributes she received from so many persons in the industry because of the outstanding contribution she has made to reggae music made her so happy and I was happy for her. She has so much more to contribute to the music industry and in making a difference in people's life.

Tell us the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of her, and why.

It's her voice - how soothing it is. I am not just her producer; I am a great fan of hers. I enjoy hearing her. I enjoy every moment working with her. Her voice is just special. I believe it is a special gift from God, and the fact that she has been singing all these years, her voice hasn't changed and it still has the same impact on people, it truly has to be a gift from God.

What are her favourite food, music and sport?

She enjoys variety, but especially loves gungo soup with broad beans, and vegetarian meals.

Reggae, undoubtedly. Her favourite artistes include Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Freddie McGregor, Barrinton Levy. She also loves and respects many of the current female artistes, such as Tanya Stephens, Pam Hall, Queen Afrika, Etana and others.

Her favourite sports are soccer and basketball (Her love for basketball developed because her sons all played the game while they were in college).

Tell us the colour that you associate with her.

Yellow - signifying someone you'll never forget.

Orange - signifying someone you consider your true friend.

Red - signifying someone you really love.

Green - signifying someone you has had a significant impact on your life.

Yellow - she is someone I will never forget. Our association is both professional and personal. Ours is a 22-year relationship, and during that time she has impacted my life and I have impacted hers.

Define for us what you consider to be a true friend.

The most important qualities of a true friend for me are loyalty and respect, and Marcia and I share that in the longevity of our professional relationship, as well as in our friendship. I think that's the reason we have remained connected all this time. She knows I have her interest at heart.

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