Dr. Myrna Hague-Bradshaw, better known as Myrna Hague, known as "Jamaica's First Lady of Jazz", is a Jamaican lovers rock 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 ...

singer and actress, who recorded for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One.

Biography

Hague's career began in the mid-1960s.Olivia Leigh Campbell (2006),
Myrna Hague: Over the cancer trauma and searching – Ten questions for Myrna Hague
, '' Jamaica Observer'', 9 January 2006. She performed at jazz venues in London and recorded for Studio One, notably the ''Melody Life'' album.McDonald-Whyte, Novia (2008),
There's Something About Myrna
, ''Jamaica Observer'', 27 January 2008. ''Melody Life'' included some of her most popular singles, including the title track, "How Could I Live", and " First Cut Is The Deepest".''Melody Life''
at Roots Archives.Cooke, Mel (2011)

, ''Jamaica Observer'', 6 March 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2012. Hague is a member of the board of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), and a former tutor at the Jamaica School of Music. She won the Caribbean Broadcasting Union Song Festival in 1990, and has won the Jamaica Music Industry Award for jazz several times as well as the Jamaica Federation of Musicians Award and Special Merit Award in 1993.''Jamaica Observer'', 8 December 2001. She is often referred to as "Jamaica's First Lady of Jazz".Reckord, Michael (2008),
JAZZ in abundance at Pegasus
, '' Jamaica Gleaner'', 12 June 2008. Hague founded the

Ocho Rios Ocho Rios (Spanish for "Eight Rivers") is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica, and is more widely referred to as ''Ochi'' by locals. Beginning as a sleepy fishing village, Ocho Rios has seen explosive growth in the ...

Jazz Festival with her husband, jazz musician Sonny Bradshaw, and continues to organize the festival.Gambrill, Tony (2007),
Sonny Bradshaw is 81 years young
, ''Jamaica Observer'', 27 May 2007.Edwards, Michael, "Jazzophonic" (2007),
Jazz First
, ''Jamaica Observer'', 11 March 2007. In 2004, Hague was diagnosed with breast cancer, but after a long course of treatment made a full recovery. She has toured internationally, recently as guest vocalist with

Jazz Jamaica Jazz Jamaica is a British jazz/reggae music group formed by musician Gary Crosby in London formed in 1991. History In 1991, inspired by the rhythms of traditional Jamaican music and the largely improvisational nature of jazz, Gary Crosby — on ...

, and as part of Women in Jazz and the Jamaica Big Band.LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL: Jazz Jamaica with Ernest Ranglin/Marjorie Whylie/Myrna Hague + Abram Wilson/London Community Gospel Choir
''Time Out'' London.Walters, Basil (2008),
Women in Jazz open annual Ocho Rios Jazz Fest Sunday
, ''Jamaica Observer'', 4 June 2008.Walters, Basil (2008),
All set for Jazz on the Green February 17
, ''Jamaica Observer'', 14 February 2008. In November 2012 she received a Caribbean Hall of Fame Award from the Caribbean Development for the Arts, Sports and Culture Foundation. Since 2011 she has held the annual 'Simply Myrna' concert series, and recordings from the first two years of the concerts were released in December 2012 on the album ''The Best of Simply Myrna Concerts Live''.Cooke, Mel (2012)

, ''Jamaica Gleaner'', 24 December 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012. In October 2015 Hague was awarded the Silver

Musgrave Medal The Musgrave Medal is an annual award by the Institute of Jamaica in recognition of achievement in art, science, and literature.Webster, Valerie J. (2000), ''Awards, Honors & Prizes, Volume 2'', Gale Group, , p. 447. Originally conceived in 1889 a ...

for her contribution to music."Gold for Sly and Robbie"
''Jamaica Gleaner'', 30 October 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015. Later that month she received a Doctorate in Cultural Studies from the University of the West Indies, her thesis examining Jazz in the Caribbean.Johnson, Richard (2015)
'Good job Doctor Myrna'
, ''Jamaica Observer'', 2 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.

Discography

Singles

*"A Song I'd Like To Sing" (1970), Faze Four *"Best Thing That Ever Happened" *"First Cut Is The Deepest" *"For All We Know" *"How Could I Live" *"Melody Life" *"Never Never" *"On A Clear Day" (1971), Faze Four *"Our Day Will Come" *"That's What Friends Are For" *"Time After Time" (1971), Faze Four *"Touch Me Baby" Studio One *"What About Me" (1976), Studio One *"What Colour Is Love" *''Honey'' EP (2012)

Albums

*''Melody Life'' (1972), Studio One *''The Best of Simply Myrna Concerts Live'' (2012)

Compilation appearances

*"What About Me" on ''Feel Like Jumping'' (2000), Heartbeat *"Touch Me Baby" on ''Studio One Lovers'' (2005),

Soul Jazz Soul jazz or funky jazz is a subgenre of jazz that incorporates strong influences from hard bop, blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues. Soul jazz is often characterized by organ trios featuring the Hammond organ and small combos including ten ...

References

External links

Myrna Hague at Roots ArchivesMyrna Hague at Last.fm
*Edwards, Michael A. (2008)
"Musical treats aplenty at Jazz on the Green"
''Jamaica Observer'', 19 February 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hague, Myrna 20th-century Jamaican women singers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Jamaican jazz singers Recipients of the Musgrave Medal 21st-century Jamaican women singers