TRIBUTE TO GLENROY ‘ERNIE’ SMITH, OD, BH (M) BY MINISTER OF TOURISM, HON. EDMUND BARTLETT AT HIS 50TH ANNIVERSAY CHURCH SERVICE HOLY NAME OF JESUS CATHOLIC CHURCH BAMBOO, ST. ANN SUNDAY, April 30, 2017

SALUTATIONS...

• Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Bruce Golding
• Colleague Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange
• Custos Rotulorum of St. Ann, Hon. Norma Walters
• Member of Parliament, N.E. St. Ann, Dr. Dayton Campbell
• Our Special Guest of Honour, Mr. Glenroy ‘Ernie’ Smith and his wife, Janet
• Chairman, Jamaica Cultural Commission, Ms. Fae Ellington
• Principal, York Castle High School, Mr. Raymond Treasure
• Other Members of the Entertainment Fraternity
• Members of the Media
• Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

 

• Anyone chronicling the modern day history of Jamaican music and the artistes who have fostered our musical culture by playing instruments, composing and singing songs, would be found wanting if the name Ernie Smith did not take pride of place.

• The young man, who was born in Kingston and raised in St Ann and Clarendon, did not see himself as a singer when he penned his first song and hung out at recording studios hoping for someone to record it.

• Being attached to the guitar his father bought him at age 12, Ernie was on his way to becoming a band player but little did he know that the song he had penned held the key to his future as one of, if not the best loved balladeers of his time.

• Fortuitously, a producer eventually decided to have a go at recording the song – maybe to get rid of the bothersome young man – but when Ernie turned up to the studio no singer was available. If he was not to lose that one opportunity to get it on vinyl, the option given to him by the producer was to sing it himself. He did and, as we all know, the rest is history.

• Bend Down was his first chart success and much more was in store for Ernie Smith. In 1972 he expanded on a promotional song, Life Is Just for Living, which he had written for one of the world’s great beers, Jamaica’s own Red Stripe, and entered it in Japan’s Yamaha Music Festival, which he won hands down.
• The not-to-be missed baritone voice became a constant on the airwaves and in 1973 he had hearts pounding with the romantic Pitta Patta; a song that was recognized by Swing Magazine as the best song of the year.

• The love story played out musically in 1975 with I Can't Take It, which topped the UK Singles Chart as Tears on My Pillow, recorded by Johnny Nash.

• A biting social commentary in 1976 was to cause a detour in his personal life:

As we fight one another,

For the power and the glory

Jah Kingdom goes to waste,

Although he too leave of his country for a while, Ernie Smith had no desire to abandon his sweet Jamaica and returned after the political rhetoric of the time had died down to continue his contribution to the development of the Jamaican music industry.

• Ernie’s talent spans a range of musical expressions, including country, folk, Reggae, dancehall and gospel. This prolific singer/songwriter had collaborations with several other artistes of note, such as Ken Booth, Lloyd Chalmers, Pluto Shervington and Tinga Stewart, who used Ernie’s Play De Music to win the Jamaica Song Festival Competition in the early 70s.

• For his outstanding contribution to the music industry, the well-deserved national awards of the Order of Distinction and the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in the Field of Music were bestowed upon Ernie by the Government of Jamaica.

• Fifty years later there is no doubt that this veteran entertainer can still bring the house down with songs from his ever-popular repertoire like Key Card and Duppy Or A Gunman.

• Ernie Smith has mellowed with age and we hail him as an icon and ambassador for Brand Jamaica, much like Millie Small before him, Jimmy Cliff and the late Robert Nesta (Bob) Marley.

• It goes without saying that entertainment is an area in which we are world beaters. As a nation Jamaica has captivated the world with our unique and vibrant culture. Our music is an important part of that culture and continues to set our island apart from rival destinations.

• The Ministry of Tourism is committed to fostering the continued development of the entertainment industry and the integration of entertainment into our tourism product.  It is this commitment that has fueled our support for local entertainment events and the development of the industry overall.

• Entertainment tourism is one of the main niche areas which we are moving to develop in order to diversify our tourism product and tap into new markets. This is precisely why we are placing special focus on developing entertainment tourism as part of our growth strategy through my Ministry’s Sports and Entertainment Network, which is chaired by entertainment producer and promoter Kamal Bankay.

• I am proud to recognize you as an outstanding cultural ambassador whose illustrious career has been one of the pillars upon which Jamaica has become known throughout the world as the mecca for reggae music and a focal point for popular culture. You could say, That’s The Kind of People We Are.

• Given where we are this morning and the nature of the event that has brought us here, I hope you will forgive me for an abridged version of one of your inspirational songs. And don’t worry, I will not attempt to sing it:

Jesus come today, for a poor, poor man like me
Salvation come my way, my soul set free
Jesus come for all, and we must hear His call
Open up your heart today, and let it be

Nuh matter if you thief, or if you dread
Of if yuh have a crown 'pon yuh head
Nuh matter if you have no heart at all
Jesus bring love for one and all

I for Jesus, you for Jesus
All for Jesus, fall for Jesus
Come to Jesus, Jesus come for one
He come for all

Congratulations Ernie Smith on 50 glorious musical years. We salute you.

Thank you.