Ernie Smith was born Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, in May 1945, and raised in St. Ann. As a kid, Smith was influenced by his father’s music and guitar-playing. He would take his father’s guitars and harmonicas and experiment with them. Recognizing his son’s keen interest and early abilities, he gifted Smith a guitar at age twelve and taught him some basic chords. After high school, Smith played as lead guitarist for “The Vandals”, a band he put together himself. Smith also has experience with the hand-drums, piano, and songwriting.

Before seeking a career as a musician, Ernie Smith intended to be a radio announcer. Later, he applied to work for Federal Studios songwriting and eventually recorded songs himself. His songs “Bend Down” (1971), “Ride On Sammy” (1970), and “Pitta Patta” (1972) landed on Jamaican charts multiple times. Richard Khouri from Federal Studios worked with Smith to produce these tracks based on trending songs like Lee Perry’s, “Musical Transplant”. In 1972, he won the Yamaha Music Festival in Japan with his song written for a Red Stripe commercial, “Life Is Just For Living”. This award came with the achievement of being the first Jamaican musician to earn an international award. Further recognition of Smith’s talents came the following year when he was the first musician to be given the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in the Field of Music. In 1975, Johnny Nash covered Smith’s “Tears On My Pillow (I Can’t Stand It)” and brought it to the top of the UK Singles Chart.

Smith moved his family to Toronto, Canada in 1976 after his song “The Power and the Glory” was perceived as a critique of then Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley; his life was threatened over these accusations. In Toronto, he recorded his next albums To Behold Jah and Skareggae. He married his wife, Janet, who had been a childhood friend of his, and his manager and business partner. He moved to Miami in 1981 to be closer to her before moving to Fort Lauderdale where he fell into trouble with substances and money. He and Janet put on a show, After 30 Years, Life Is Just For Living, in 1997 accompanied by an album with 31 tracks. In the later years of his career, Smith drew in older audiences with his shift to gospel music. Smith’s latest contribution to the music scene was his 2008 album Country Mile.

Awards

• Yamaha Music Festival Japan Winner in 1972 –
• Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in the Field of Music (Jamaican Government)