Ernie Smith Ready to Create Another Hit

Well it mus be a duppy or a gunman

I man no find out yet

I an I so frighten

All mwta name I figet…

— From Duppy Gunman by Ernie Smith

One of Ernie Smith’s (born Glenroy Anthony Smith) most popular hits, Duppy Gunman, defined this Jamaican iconic singer/songwriter’s creative storytelling and musical genius. But where dis duppy come from?

“I had a friend who used to live with me and help me lift and carry my equipment. One night I had just dropped him off and was on my way somewhere. But, it felt like he was still in the vehicle,” Smith explained about the inspiration for the song.

He continued: “I said to the person I was with, it feels like he's still here. And then I thought about it and said it must be a duppy. Then I thought about the times and I said, or a gunman. So, when I got home I started writing the song, and it was finished by dawn the next morning. There are always things or events that inspire you.”

INDELIBLE MARK

Indeed, Smith’s hits of the 60s ad 70s left an indelible mark on Jamaican musical culture. Now, six decades later he is ready to create another hit. Working on his next album, the songwriter promises new music to please his steadfast fans and the next generation of listeners.

Recently celebrating his 79th birthday and one-year anniversary to his new wife, Claudette, Smith took time out of his busy writing and production schedule to chat with Caribbean Today.

“I was always a writer, I remember teachers telling me that. When I was a child, I would sit on a wall somewhere reading a book while the other guys were playing cricket. I was always reading and writing, and my mother used to recite poetry to us. My father would borrow a guitar every now and again, bring it over and ask us to sing a song,” Smith said of his early influences.

So, that seed planted early on eventually led Smith to a career in music.

According to Smith, back in the 60s when he was working at Reynolds, a bauxite mining company in St. Ann Jamaica, he decided to take a day off to pursue his dreams.

“I went to Kingston to RJR to do a radio audition; I wanted to be an announcer. It was over in 20 minutes and they said, don’t call us, we'll call you. Since I had the whole day off, I presented myself as a songwriter at Federal Records. And they said, there's a band coming in at two o’clock, why don't you stay and record it? And that was the birth of my first song.”

That was Ernie Smith’s love ballad, I Can’t Take It, recorded and released in 1967 that was later sung by American singer Johnny Nash and renamed Tears on my Pillow earning a number one single on the UK charts.

WEAVE A STORY

His musical style “is just music” said the songwriter. He sings from his heart, from experiences, whatever inspires him. In fact, Smith has folk albums, gospel albums, reggae albums and is influenced by many genres.

“I am so eclectic. I love Keb Mo, who is very blues. I love Alan Jackson who is very country.”

In fact, he confessed: “When I was just starting to record I told my producers that I wanted to sing country music. And they said, If you record country music you will not make any money in this country (Jamaica). So that's when I started to write reggae songs. My first reggae hit was Bend Down. After that it was Ride on Sammy then One Dream then Pitta Patta.”

Smith’s music is timeless, leaving a lasting impression. And, he explained it as content. You have to weave a story, he said, you have to say something, It has to go somewhere. You can’t just be repetitive, using the same chords and the same music over and over.

“My music is just my music. It's always been totally different from everything else. And that's what gives it its life.”

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

One thing Smith is concerned about is the Jamaican music industry’s losing battle with its intellectual property.

“ are not protecting ourselves properly in the business. There are ways to record the authorship of the business so that you get what's yours. People are not learning anything like that, they just want to hear themselves on the radio,” he admonished.

He explained that there are writers societies that will look out for musicians and songwriters. There are Performing Rights and Mechanical Rights said Smith. Every time you hear your song played on radio or on TV you should get royalties. Every time a copy of your music is sold, that’s Mechanical Rights. There are ways to protect yourself, but we’re not learning enough of the business.

People are going on stage and renaming other people's rhythms and claiming authorship. So, there are all kinds of mixups that is slowing us down in the business, he urged. It is his hope that the Jamaican musical fraternity will start to work harder to protect their rights.

Now, Smith’s focus is on his new album which will highlight his wide-ranging musical style and celebrate a life well-lived with a nod to his wife, Claudette who noted: “He's so humble with what he does. I don’t think he realizes how important he is to Jamaican culture, and how much he has to share.”

Smith credits Claudette with his resurgent inspiration: “My last wife is deceased. I was just living, surviving. And then I met Claudette. And if anybody told me I could be this happy at this time in my life, I would never have believed it.”