2 April is Garnett Silk's Earthstrong Day. DJ 745 Salutes the man, his music and message in a two hour 'Strictly Vinyl' edition of the Irie Jamms Show.
From humble beginnings in Manchester, Jamaica he recorded his first song under the name of Little Bimbo in 1985 before taking the world by storm working alongside fellow artists like Tony Rebel, Uton Green, Yasus Afari and on sound systems including Conquering Lion, Soul Remembrance, Pepper's Disco, Stereophonic, and Destiny Outernational.
1992 was the year in which Garnett Silk really made his musical mark working from some of the biggest studios on the island of Jamaica teaming up with Bobby Dixon, Lloyd James, Richard "Bello" Bell and Courtney Cole to record a series of positive, uplifting conscious reggae songs including It's Growing, Hello Mama Africa and Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders. This was at a time when conscious music did not rule and it was the slackness and somewhat crude lyrics of reggae dancehall which was in public favour.
His contribution to Jamaican music in the relatively short period he was active in the industry is truly phenomenal and it leaves me asking the question of where he would be today had he lived to see the fruits of the album he was recording for Atlantic Records at the time of his passing.
