Michael George Henry OD (born 1943), better known as Ras Michael, 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 and

Nyabinghi Nyabinghi or Nyabingi is a prominent figure in the history of Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, where religions or 'possession cults' formed around her. Probably via a 1930s article, the term "Nyabinghi" was introduced to Jamaica. There, it was adopted ...

specialist. He also performs under the name of Dadawah.

Biography

Henry was born in

Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica Saint Mary is a parish located in the northeast section of Jamaica. With a population of 114,227 it is one of Jamaica's smallest parishes, located in the county of Middlesex. Its chief town and capital is Port Maria, located on the coast. It i ...

, where he was raised in a Rastafari community.Katz, David (2006) ''People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry'', Omnibus Press, , p. 305 As a teenager he moved to Kingston's Waterhouse district where he played with local Rastafari musicians. He set up the Zion Disc label in the mid-1960s, and also worked at Coxsone Dodd's legendary Studio One as a session musician and released a number of singles. He was the first member of the

Rastafari movement Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of ...

to have a reggae radio program in Jamaica (''The Lion of Judah Time'' program first aired in 1967 on the JBC). His band is called The Sons of Negus and are known for their traditional Nyabinghi drumming and chanting.

Tommy Cowan Tommy Cowan CD (born Thomas Lincoln Cowan, 6 April 1946, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica) is a producer and singer, initially working in reggae but later concentrating on gospel, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s.Brooks, Sade ...

saw Ras Michael's group in 1974, and released an album of their music later that year as ''Nyahbinghi''.Campbell, Howard (2018)
A Second Serving of Ras Michael
, ''

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''. Its founding editor i ...

'', 28 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018 The album didn't sell well, so Cowan produced a second album, ''Rastafari'' (1975), with the group augmented by top studio musicians including bassist

Robbie Shakespeare Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare (27 September 1953 – 8 December 2021) was a Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, best known as half of the reggae rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, with drummer Sly Dunbar. Regarded as ...

, guitarist

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 late ...

, keyboard player

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, Soun ...

, and additional guitar from

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963� ...

; ''Rastafari'', which featured a painting of a young

Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...

Neville Garrick Neville Garrick is a Jamaican-born Los Angeles-based graphic artist, and photographer. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Garrick attended UCLA where he played for the football team, reaching the National Collegia ...

on the cover, was more commercially successful, and was followed in 1977 by ''Kibir Am Lak'', which increased the popularity of the group in Europe and the United States. Ras Michael contributed to recording sessions at

Lee "Scratch" Perry Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, composer and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development o ...

's Black Ark studio (including sessions with

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

), and he performed with Marley at the

One Love Peace Concert The One Love Concert (OLPC) was a large concert held on 22 April 1978 at The National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's ...

in Jamaica in 1978. With the Sons of Negus he recorded an album (''Love Thy Neighbor'') with Perry at the Black Ark. He recorded 'Give Love' with

Suns of Arqa Suns of Arqa are a world music collective founded in 1979 by Michael Wadada. Since the group's formation, over 200 people from around the world have played and recorded with them, and in many cases these were like-minded musicians Wadada met ...

in 1984 for their album ''

India? ''India?'' is the third studio album by the band Suns of Arqa, recorded and released in 1984 by Rocksteady Records. The album was produced by Suns of Arqa founder Michael Wadada. The spine reads "Suns of Arqa Vol IV - Such big ears, but still y ...

''. In all, he has recorded over 25 albums. In addition to acting as an evangelist, ambassador and diplomat for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahido Church internationally, Ras Michael is one of the founders and president of the Rastafarian International/

Marcus Garvey Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr. (17 August 188710 June 1940) was a Jamaican political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. He was the founder and first President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African ...

Culture Center in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, and the Fly Away Culture Center in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...

. Currently he lives in

. In August 2015 it was announced that he would be awarded the

Order of Distinction The Order of Distinction is a national order in the Jamaican honours system. It is the sixth in order of precedence of the Orders of Societies of Honour, which were instituted by an Act of Parliament (''The National Honours and Awards Act'') i ...

by the Jamaican government in recognition of his contribution to the development of the country's music.Campbell, Howard (2015)
Drummer of distinction
, ''

'', 12 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015

Discography

*''Nyahbinghi'' (1974), Starapple/

Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * ''Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 189 ...

*''Dadawah - Peace & Love'' (1974), Wildflower *''Freedom Sounds'' (1974), Dynamic Sounds *''Rastafari'' (1975), Grounation *''Tribute to the Emperor'' (1976), Trojan *''Irations of Ras Michael & Sons of Negus Volume One'' (1977), Top Ranking *''Kibir Am Lak'' (1977), Top Ranking *''Movements'' (1978), Dynamic Sounds *''Love Thy Neighbour'' (1979), Jah Life *''Promised Land Sounds'' (1980), Lion's Gate *''Disarmament'' (1981), Trojan *''Revelation'' (1982), Trojan *''Rally Round'' (1985), Shanachie *''Zion Train'' (1988), SST *''Know Now'' (1989), Shanachie *''Rastafari Dub'' (1989),

ROIR ROIR (pronounced "roar"), or Reachout International Records, is a New York City-based independent record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper. Background ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label ex ...

*''Mediator'' (1992), High Times *''Spiritual Roots'' (1999), VP *''Lion Country'' (1999), Roots & Culture *''A Weh Dem a Go Do Wid It'' (2003),

*''Try Love'' (2006), Vista Ave Entertainment *'' Live Ina Babylon'' (2009), Sankofa *'' None A Jah Jah Children (2018), VP *'' Live By The Spirit'' (2020), Hen House Studios *''Jah Love'' (2022), Zion Disc ;Compilations: *''New Name'' (1994),

Culture Press Culture Press is an independent record label from UK specialized in Jamaican music. LP Discography *VSLP5000 - Bob Marley - Interviews *VSLP5001 - Clint Eastwood - The Best Of Clint Eastwood - 1984 *VSLP5002 - Dillinger - Blackboard Jungle - ...

*''Anthology'' (2001), Culture Press *''Merry Peasant'' (2003), 2b1 *''Reggae Best'' (2004), Culture Press *''Reggae Masters'' (2009), Creon

References

External links

Ras Michael Discography at Roots Archive

7 April 2002. Duration: 57 minutes. Retrieved 4 May 2013. {{DEFAULTSORT:Michael, Ras 1943 births Living people musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican reggae musicians Jamaican Rastafarians Recipients of the Order of Distinction