Mike Brooks (singer)

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Mike Brooks
Birth nameEdmund Brooks
Also known asMikey Brooks, Prince Michael
Born1953 (age 7172)
Westmoreland, Jamaica
OriginJamaica
Genres Reggae
Years activeEarly 1970s–present

Edmund Brooks (born 1953), known as Mike Brooks, Mikey Brooks, and Prince Michael, is a Jamaican reggae singer who has been active since the early 1970s.

Contents

Biography

Brooks performed regularly at the 'Idler's Rest' on Chancery Lane in Kingston, and landed a job at Channel One Studios building rhythms with the group Skin Flesh & Bone. [1] His first record release was with the group The Tots (who also included Norris Reid and in Brooks' words 'a guy called Tony'), who released a single in 1975 called "Earth Is The Fullness", recorded at Black Ark studio, and released on Brooks' Harvest label. [1] [2] The band was not successful, but Brooks would often contribute to recording sessions at the Black Ark organized by Jah Lloyd. [1] Brooks re-emerged as a solo singer in the mid-1970s, working with producers such as Alvin Ranglin, and achieving hits with singles such as "Guiding Star" (1977), "Come Sister Love", "Grooving", "Open The Door", and "What a Gathering". [2] He also recorded the combination single "Who Have Eyes To See" with Prince Far I. He moved to the United Kingdom and joined the British Reggae Artists Against Famine Appeal, singing on the "Let's Make Africa Green Again" charity single. [2] In 1990 he recorded an album with Glen Brown, and followed it in 1995 with Hardcore Lover, an album on which he was joined by Delroy Wilson and Pat Kelly. [2]

Brooks also worked as a producer, and along with Jah Lloyd, set up his own 'Teams' label in the late 1970s. [3]

Albums

References

  1. 1 2 3 Katz, David (2000) "People Funny Boy - The Genius of Lee 'Scratch' Perry", Payback Press, ISBN   0-86241-854-2
  2. 1 2 3 4 Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, ISBN   0-7535-0242-9
  3. "Mike Brooks Interview". Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2008.