About MARCIA GRIFFITHS
About MARCIA GRIFFITHS
The Queen of Reggae music
In the dynamic world of reggae, Marcia Griffiths stands tall as the Empress of Reggae, celebrating an impressive 60-year journey in the music industry. In 2024, the iconic singer is set to mark this remarkable milestone with an exciting array of new songs and a captivating European tour. In her impressive 60-year career, Marcia Griffiths has fortified her ICON status and continues to shape and redefine the reggae landscape. On October 16,2023, Griffiths was awarded the Order of Jamaica (OJ) which is awarded to a Jamaican citizen of outstanding distinction or upon any distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica. Griffiths is the only Jamaican female artist to receive this honor.
In 2014, she was awarded the Commander Class and in 1994 the Order of Distinction (OD).Hailing from West Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, Marcia Griffiths sees her role in music as transcending mere performance. “I don’t doubt that God gave me a talent,” she shares. “I am on a mission from God. I don’t just go to entertain people; I go to reach out and touch, teach, educate, and uplift. That is my aim.”Griffiths began her professional singing career in 1964 with Byron Lee and The Dragonaires band, discovered by Phillip “Boasie” James of The Blues Busters.
A Timeless Reggae Icon
Her journey took flight at Studio One under the guidance of producer Clement “Coxsone” Dodd and singer/songwriter Bob Andy, leading to hits like “Feel Like Jumping” and “Really Together.” Collaborating with Bob Andy provided crucial support in her early days, fostering confidence that propelled her solo career.Throughout the 1970s, Marcia toured globally with Bob Marley and The Wailers as a vital member of the I Three’s Band, contributing harmonies to reggae classics like “Natty Dread,” “Rastaman Vibration,” and “Exodus.” Her solo career continued to flourish with hits like “Stepping Out a Babylon,” and in 1982, she reached commercial heights with the Bunny Wailer-penned “Electric Boogie,” sparking the Electric Slide dance craze in the United States, which has spanned four decades.With an impressive 19 solo albums, five duet albums with Bob Andy, and various collaborations, Griffiths’ impact on reggae is profound. Not one to shy away from addressing gender disparity in music, she reflects on her journey: “It’s been a rough, tough job standing up as a woman in this male-dominated business.”
Her resilience is evident in albums like “Indomitable.” She has stood strong as an advocate for women’s rights within the industry. As a result, she has been amazed by the many artists who declare her a role model and the inspiration they garnered through her work. In the 1990s, she found new resonance with fans through hits like “I Shall Sing” and “Fire Burning” under producer Donovan Germain’s Penthouse Records. The reggae queen has graced stages globally, sharing moments with Boyz II Men, performing at major events, including, the South Africa All-Woman Conference; the opening of the Bob Marley Museum at Orlando, Florida’s Universal Studios; performing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London; and doing two memorable shows with reggae superstars, Beres Hammond and Buju Banton at Carnegie Hall in Madison Square Gardens, New York. One of her most career-defining performances was her unforgettable show in Ethiopia in 2005.
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She describes her experience in Ethiopia as “overwhelming”. “We performed in (Emperor) Haile Selassie’s palace, got a tour of the entire palace, and did a show in the street with hundreds of thousands of people in the audience. I had never seen so many people at one time and place in my life. That was special to me,” she said.Marcia Griffiths enduring influence and unwavering passion affirm her status as a true icon in the world of music. She will forever be named as one of the greatest artists of all time.
Marcia Griffiths has been performing and recording as a top class artist for four decade. She says “I started singing professionally as a vocalist in 1964, for Byron Lee and the Dragonaires band.” Her recording years started soon after, at Coxsone Dodd – Studio One where she recorded her first hit “Feel Like Jumping.”