Deborahe Elizabeth Glasgow (19 January 1966 – 25 January 1994) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

lovers rock singer of Guyanese parentage, who was active from the late 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s. Though Glasgow released only one album in her lifetime, 1989's ''Deborahe Glasgow'', she began releasing singles in her adolescence. She is perhaps best known for her duet with

Shabba Ranks Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon; 17 January 1966) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home cou ...

on a song initially released as "Champion Lover" on her eponymous album, but recut by Ranks as " Mr. Loverman" in 1990.

Life and career

Glasgow was born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in 1965, recording her first single "Fallin' in Love" (as Debbie G) in her mid teens for producer

Mad Professor Mad Professor (born Neil Joseph Stephen Fraser, 1955, Georgetown, Guyana) is a Guyanese-born British dub music producer and engineer known for his original productions and remix work. He is considered one of the leading producers of dub music ...

's Ariwa label.Larkin, Colin (1998), ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, She steadily built up a following amongst black Londoners by working the local sound system circuit. This led to a record contract with

Greensleeves Records Greensleeves Records & Publishing, shortened to ''Greensleeves Records'', is a record label specializing in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick. Based in Britain, Greensleeves Records sta ...

' Bubblers subsidiary, and a series of popular singles, including "Knight in Shining Armour", "When Somebody Loves You Back" and "Don't Stay Away". An album collaboration in Jamaica in 1989 with dancehall producer Augustus "Gussie" Clarke, backed on many tracks by Steely & Cleevie proved the highlight of Glasgow's short career and "made her name a legend." The resultant collection of songs is representative of the Lovers rock genre and described by some critics as "the best lovers rock album ever recorded". "Champion Lover" revealed an uncharacteristically hard-edged sound, with the 12" "Sex" mix of the track representing a move towards dancehall, and sentiments that were less innocent in content than other Glasgow recordings. In 1990, Shabba Ranks versioned "Champion Lover" under the new title "Mr. Loverman" on his album ''

Rappin' with the Ladies ''Rappin' with the Ladies'' is the first album by dancehall artist and DJ Shabba Ranks, released in 1988. The album contains collaborations with J.C. Lodge and Deborahe Glasgow Deborahe Elizabeth Glasgow (19 January 1966 – 25 January 1994) wa ...

''. Four years later, after Glasgow's early death, he re-recorded the tune, this time with

Chevelle Franklin Chevelle Franklyn (born 4 March 1974) is a Jamaican reggae and gospel reggae singer. Early life and reggae career Born in the Tawes Pen area of Spanish Town in St. Catherine Parish, Franklyn was the fourth in a family of ten children. She was ...

as the featured singer, and this version became a worldwide hit. At the start of the 1990s, Glasgow collaborated briefly with General Lee, resulting in the tracks "Weak" and "Knocking the Boots". However, aside from some lucrative work on advertisement jingles, her recording career was largely dormant. Instead she opted to devote more time to the needs of her young family. She was diagnosed with

lymphatic cancer Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enlar ...

, the complications from which ultimately claimed her life. She died in

Wandsworth Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Toponymy Wandsworth takes its nam ...

, South London on 25 January 1994 of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of twenty nine. A remembrance tour that played London, Birmingham and Manchester took place to help raise funds for her four surviving children.

Album discography

*''Deborahe Glasgow'' (1989), Greensleeves *''Gimme Your Love'' (1994), World *''The Legend'' (1999), World

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Glasgow, Deborahe 1966 births 1994 deaths Lovers rock musicians 20th-century Black British women singers British reggae musicians Greensleeves Records artists