Beres Hammond OJ (born Hugh Beresford Hammond; 28 August 1955, in Annotto Bay,

Saint Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

)Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , p. 128-9Huey, Steve " Beres Hammond Biography,

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

, retrieved 2 February 2010 is a Jamaican

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

singer known in particular for his

lovers rock Lovers' rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid-1970s.Larkin, Col ...

music. While his career began in the 1970s, he reached his greatest success in the 1990s.

Biography

Born the ninth of ten children, Hammond grew up listening to his father's collection of American

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

music including

Sam Cooke Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is common ...

and

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

. He was further influenced by the native music of ska and

rocksteady Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor of ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was the dominant style of music in Jamaica for nearly two years, performed by many of the artists who helped establish ...

, in particular

Alton Ellis Alton Nehemiah Ellis (1 September 1938 – 10 October 2008)Godfather ...

. Hammond began participating in local talent contests from 1972 to 1973, which led to his first recording, of Ellis' "Wanderer". In 1975 he joined the band,

Zap Pow Zap Pow is a Jamaican reggae band, founded by singer/bassist Michael Williams aka Mikey Zappow and guitarist Dwight Pinkney. Members also included singer Beres Hammond, trumpeter David Madden, saxman Glen DaCosta, and drummer Cornell Marshall ...

, as lead singer,Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p. 118-9 leading to the

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

1978 single, "The System" under the Aquarius Records label. However, he simultaneously sought a solo career, releasing his debut album, ''

Soul Reggae ''Soul Reggae'' is the debut album by Beres Hammond, released in 1976. Track listing #"You Don't Have to Lie" #"Oh Take Me Girl" #"My Whole World" #"Don't Wait Too Long" #"Somebody Lied" #"Is This the Right Way?" #"I'll Never Change" #"Got to G ...

'', in 1976. His solo

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

s "One Step Ahead" (1976) and Joe Gibbs produced "I'm in Love" (1978), were both hits in Jamaica. He left Zap Pow in 1979 to pursue his solo career, and recorded two more albums ''Let's Make A Song'' in 1980 and ''Red Light'' 1981. He formed Tuesday's Children, a

harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. Howeve ...

group that toured but never recorded. Hammond formed his own record label, Harmony House Records, in 1985 for the release of his ''Make a Song'' album, which had two Jamaican chart-toppers that were influenced by the emerging

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...

style: "Groovy Little Thing" and "What One Dance Can Do". The latter, produced by Willie Lindo, began to break Hammond into the international market. He scored another hit in 1986 with "Settling Down" on his eponymous release. He left his fame in Jamaica for New York City in 1987, after being tied up as thieves ransacked his house during a

home invasion A home invasion, also called a hot prowl burglary, is a sub-type of burglary (or in some jurisdictions, a separately defined crime) in which an offender unlawfully enters into a building residence while the occupants are inside. The overarching ...

. There he recorded the ''Have a Nice Weekend'' album and the duet single "How Can We Ease the Pain" with

Maxi Priest Max Alfred "Maxi" Elliott (born 10 June 1961), known by his stage name Maxi Priest, is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with an R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion. He was one ...

. Hammond returned briefly to Jamaica to record ''Putting Up Resistance'', which was significantly harder than his typical ballads, produced by

Tappa Zukie Tapper Zukie (or Tappa Zukie) (born David Sinclair, 1955, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae deejay and producer.Greene, Jo-AnnTapper Zukie Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 2011-02-15 Biography Tapper was the nickname given to him by his grandmo ...

, which spawned the hits "Putting Up Resistance" and "Strange". He signed with Penthouse Records in 1990 and returned to Jamaica permanently to record the dancehall smash "Tempted to Touch", with producer

Donovan Germain Donovan Germain (born 7 March 1952 in Jamaica) is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era. Biography Germain's entry into the music industry was via his record shop in New York City in the 1970s.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The V ...

. This is perhaps his best known song in the United States and United Kingdom, and set the foundation for the hits "Is This a Sign" and "Respect to You Baby" on the 1992 ''A Love Affair'' album. Also in 1992, Beres released the single "Fire". The song received critical acclaim within the Reggae music industry and it was an extremely sought after 7" single. Now garnering interest from major studios such as

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...

, Hammond recorded five more albums in the 1990s as well as several compilations, establishing himself as one of the top

artists. His first album of the new millennium was 2001's ''Music Is Life'', which featured an appearance by

Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, ...

, and contributions from

Earl "Chinna" Smith Earl "Chinna" Smith (born 6 August 1955), a.k.a. Earl Flute and Melchezidek the High Priest,Johnson, Richard (2013)The Melchizedek way, '' Jamaica Observer'', 6 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013 is a Jamaican guitarist active since the lat ...

and

Flourgon Michael May (born c.1970), better known as Flourgon, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. Biography May got his nickname of 'Flourgon', which became his stage name, due to his love of dumplings.Henry, Krista (2008)Glory days - Flourgon 'Run Tings' i ...

. The album spawned several hits, including "They Gonna Talk", "Rockaway" and "Ain't It Good To Know". The 2004 release ''Love Has No Boundaries'', had guest spots by

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be one of the most s ...

and

Big Youth Manley Augustus Buchanan (born 19 April 1949, Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica),Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books, better known as Big Youth (sometimes called Jah Youth), is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his ...

. Hammond returned to Jamaica to perform at the

Opening Ceremony An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event.

for the Cricket World Cup 2007,Becca, Tony (2007)
Welcome to Cricket world cup 2007 – HOWZAT! Get ready to be bowled over
", ''

Jamaica Gleaner ''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...

'', 11 March 2007, retrieved 2 February 2010 and the next year, in 2008, he released album ''A Moment in Time'', on VP Records, which featured the single "I Feel Good". After 4 years, which is 2012, Hammond released album '' One Love, One Life'' topped the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' Reggae Albums chart. In 2013, Hammond was awarded the

Order of Jamaica The Order of Jamaica is the fifth of the six orders in the Jamaican honours system. The Order was established in 1969, and it is considered the equivalent of a knighthood in the British honours system. Membership in the Order can be conferred upon ...

by the Jamaican government in recognition of his "exceptional and dedicated contribution to the Jamaican music industry" right before his album '' One Love, One Life'' was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

in January 2014.Campbell, Howard (2013)
Honours in Order
, ''

Jamaica Observer ''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner ''The Gleaner'' is an ...

'', 7 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013 For almost six years since album '' One Love, One Life'' released, Hammond released album, '' Never Ending'' in October 2018, which features contributions from musicians including

Errol Holt Errol Holt (born 19 July 1950), also known as Errol Carter and by his nickname Flabba, is a Jamaican bass guitar player and a singer who was a member of The Morwells and the Roots Radics and has played on hundreds of Jamaican albums. Biography ...

, Mafia & Fluxy,

Dean Fraser Dean Ivanhoe Fraser (sometimes appearing as Dean Frazer) (born 4 August 1957) Allmusic.com biography by Sandra Brennan/ref> is a Jamaican saxophonist who has contributed to hundreds of reggae recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the M ...

, and

Robbie Lyn Robert "Robbie" Bernard Lyn is a Jamaican session musician who plays piano, keyboard and synthesiser. Biography Robbie Lyn is a popular Jamaican session musician, who has played with various session/backing bands including Now Generation, Sound ...

. After its first week of release, it topped the ''Billboard'' Reggae Albums Chart. In 2019 Beres Hammond toured the United States and Canada. The Never Ending tour started in late July in Danbury, Connecticut. It also made stops in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Newark, Huntington (New York), Richmond (Virginia), Washington D.C., Norfolk (Virginia), Charlotte (North Carolina), Atlanta, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. On February 28, 2021, Harmony House and

VP Records VP Records is an independent Caribbean-owned record label in Queens, New York. The label is known for releasing music by notable artists in reggae, dancehall and soca. VP Records has offices in New York City, Miami, London, Kingston, Tokyo, ...

presented ''Love From A Distance Live'', a streaming event with guest appearances by

, Marcia Griffiths, and

Popcaan Andrae Hugh Sutherland (born 19 July 1988), known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican singer. In 2008, Popcaan joined Vybz Kartel's Gaza Music Empire. In 2010, he released his breakthrough international hit "Clarks" with Kartel, an ode ...

during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. The show was streamed on Hammond's Facebook page and VP Records' YouTube page, and up to March 1, VP Records' stream was trending at number five.

Discography

Beres Hammond at Toad's Place in CT on Aug 14th, 2013

Solo albums

Collaborative albums

Compilations

Cover versions of Beres Hammond songs

DVD

References

External links

* * *
Smokeyroom's Harmony House Silekshan

Yahoo! Music biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammond, Beres Lovers rock musicians Jamaican reggae singers 1955 births Living people People from Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica 20th-century Jamaican male singers 21st-century Jamaican male singers VP Records artists