Jamaican folk musicLouise Bennett-Coverley(Miss Lou) Poet,dramatist, storyteller. Jamaica's most beloved icon of folk culture. She first recorded folk songs in 1954. She also hosted the radio show Miss Lou’s Views and the very popular children's TV show Ring Ding.Harry Belafonte singing Banana Boat Song with the Muppets Harry Belafonte This actor, singer, social activist was born in New York City of Jamaican parentage. The very popular song Banana Boat Song(Day O)is originally a Jamaican folk song. It is thought to have been sung by dockworkers loading bananas onto ships.Edris Connor In 1952 this Trinidadian singer recorded an album with popular Jamaican folk songs like Sammy Dead, Linstead Market, Hol’ you han’. He did the first recorded version of Day-O. He later moved to England where he became a movie actor.Olive Lewin Teacher, musicologist, author. She founded the Jamaican Folk Singers in 1967. They have had many performances and recordings over the years of existence. She has also taught music to prison inmates. She was trained to play the piano and the violin.Jamaican folk songs made into popular music forms This video clip features Errol "Monty" Morris doing a ska version of "Sammy Dead." The popular 1970's group Boney M doing a version of "Brown Girl in the ring" a song about a children's game. Foreign choirs doing Jamaican folk songs A male choir called Varsity Men from Grand Valley State University in Michigan performing the song "Hol' yuh han'". A chorale group from Poland called Chóralne Akceleracje performing "Linstead Market." |
