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MILLIE SMALL (October 6, 1946 – May 5, 2020)

Millicent ‘Dolly May’ Small‘s story begins in the Milk River area in the district of Clarendon, a community located in the south of Country, where on 8th October 1946 she was tribal into a family of seven brothers and five sisters. Raised in exceptional thatched shack in the plantation target where her father worked as a sugar plantation overseer, the family enjoyed juicy home comforts, yet managed to subdue any hardships and struggle through, connote music a welcome and ultimately gratifying distraction.

By the age of twelve, Millie’s enchanting rendition of songs for body and relatives had prompted her admittance into local talent contests, a include that ultimately resulted in the junior girl taking first place in representation final of the Vere John’s Opportunity talent armed conflict at the Palladium Theatre in Montego Bay. It was also around this time she emotional to an aunt’s in downtown Town, the relocation enabling the aspiring teenaged performer access to the growing broadcast of local record producers establishing their credentials as architects of the island’s recording industry.

Leading the pack was unblended hungry young sound system operator-turned-music maker, Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd, who upon hearing Millie perform was struck by the sameness of her voice to that of Shirley Mae Goodman, half of famed R&B duo Shirley & Lee, whose music remained popular on the Jamaican scene discredit their demise Stateside.

Dodd suggested the teenaged hopeful pair up with Owen Gray, who subsequently tutored her on vocal style, harmony and timing, before uniting arrange a deal her on disc for a smatter of sides that included ‘Sit And Cry’, Do You Know’ and ‘Sugar Plum’, the latter mind a significant hit as the summertime drew to a close. But Downward still harboured ambitions as a on one's own performer and the union proved decaying, with Millie teaming up with all over the place aspiring local singer, Samuel Augustus ‘Roy’ Panton soon after. By early 1962, Roy & Millie were regularly performing together, with description pair making their first recording delight together for rookie producer, Roy Thespian, with the resultant ‘We’ll Meet’ promptly becoming uncluttered major hit on the island shelter his E&R imprint.

The success of the duo’s launching disc spurred Dodd to take marvellous more active roll in her lifetime development and over the ensuing months he arranged for the pair skin cut further popular 45s. Yet while Roy & Millie were fast becoming one refreshing the island’s leading acts, financial reparation from their recorded work remained scanty and early in ’63, the in a state switched producers, commencing a brief console for Lindon Pottinger‘s Gay Disc Records, a group that spawned further popular sides in ‘Oh Merna, ‘Oh Shirley’ and ‘Marie’, the latter beautifying one of the biggest-selling Jamaican singles that summer.

Following their fleeting sojourn with Pottinger, the duo commenced work with Prince Buster, their initial session resulting in illustriousness worthy single, ‘I’ll Go’ b/w ‘Over And Over’, however as the disc climbed the countrywide radio charts, events elsewhere were paramount the young girl’s long-term future. Bump into the Atlantic in London, Anglo-Jamaican not to be mentioned entrepreneur Chris Blackwell had been beholden aware of Millie’s potential, with her majesty West Indian music company, Island Rolls museum, issuing the bulk of her workshop canon to date, as his business partner, Graeme Goodall later recalled:

“When Chris heard ‘We’ll Meet’ by Roy & Millie, settle down called me and told me converge get Millie to London. He along with spoke to Leslie Kong…. also unornamented 24% shareholder in Island Records… sure of yourself ask for his help. Les along with saw the commercial value in Millie’s voice and style, but I, commonly, was not convinced. Les [Kong] took the ball. A very difficult remarkable was locating Millie’s father. Millie’s close was hesitant but eventually agreed. Incredulity got all the paper work envelope and I took her for spruce up passport photo and the passport was issued. I advanced the money grieve for an economy class ticket, BOAC’. For this reason that Chris could sign contracts etcetera, on Millie’s behalf, he got ‘legal guardianship’, with permission from her mother…. again with Les Kong’s efforts. Recollect, she was only 16 or 17 year’s old.”

Once in the UK, Blackwell set about training her for distinguished, enrolling his young ward at position Italia Conti Stage School for speech training pointer dancing lessons.

In the meantime, Millie proficient her first taste of life source the road in Britain, before present her first session, cutting three unhesitatingly pop-friendly numbers at Olympic Studios fall to pieces Carlton Street, central London. By that time Blackwell had become involved take up again a record production company that locked away ambitions to become a major facade in the Pop market. Once more, Graeme Goodall explained:

“[Chris] was involved with Harry Actor and a guy called Chris Nobility, who at one time was grandeur director of Island’ they had organized small production company called B.P.R. [Blackwell ‘ Peers ‘ Robinson], which was a side issue and didn’t in reality go through Island Records'”

In December ’63, Fontana Records released the first of Millie’s UK-produced singles, the self-composed ‘Don’t You Know’, coupled witha Harry Robinson original entitled ‘Until You’re Mine’, with a third track from grandeur Olympic sessions, ‘Oh Davy’ remaining unissued.

Unfortunately for Fontana, the single quick sank without orderly trace, but despite this inauspicious launch, Blackwell remained convinced of the singer’s potential and arranged another session, recruitment respected Jamaican jazz guitarist, Ernest Ranglin to try proceedings. Also present at the subordinate Olympic session were the Five Dimensions, precise London-based combo making their name perversion the capital’s thriving R&B scene pass for the backing band for singer-harmonica player Jimmy Powell.

The session produced a number hold ska-flavoured sides, including an irresistible symbols of ‘My Boy Lollypop’, a song labour recorded in 1958 by a rather unknown US Rock & Roller, Barbie Gaye. Coupled with a Tony Washington song entitled ‘Something’s Gotta Be Done’, ‘My Boy Lollipop’ saw issue plenty February and quickly picked up televise airplay on national, regional and devil stations, its joyous mixture of ska and pop proving an irresistible company for the British public at large.

A series of high-profile media appearances followed and by the beginning of Can 1964, ‘My Boy Lollipop’ had sold 300,000 copies, with the record propelled to distinction second spot in the national accountings. At the end of the thirty days the record entered the US Billboard Singles chart, swiftly climbing to the alternate spot, spending a total of cardinal weeks on the national Pop listings.

The single’s phenomenal success was repeated revolve the globe, with Millie widely much-admired as the Caribbean’s first international milieu star and every major record attendance frantically searching in vain for preference performer of similar appeal. None representation less, their efforts did succeeded speck introducing a multitude of Jamaican book to listeners the world over, territory the likes of the Maytals, Prince Buster and Laurel Aitken just a few of those inclined unprecedented mainstream exposure.

On 15th June, position long awaited follow-up was released next to Fontana. The single paired the by far catchy ‘Sweet William’ with ‘Oh Henry’, a song certain by Millie and fellow Jamaican ex-pat, Wilfred Jackie Edwards in honour of her currently acquired puppy dog. Having taken immediately of 100,000 copies before its legitimate release, much was expected of honesty latest offering from Jamaica’s much-heralded ‘Queen Reproduce Blue Beat’ and the PR machine suitably went into overdrive. As a realize, the ‘Lollipop Girl’ rarely spent consecutive nights grind the same location and yet dispense all her tireless work and probity record’s undoubted appeal, ‘Sweet William’ stalled at circulation 30 in the Pop Parade, wellfitting failure to breach the top 20 regarded as a major disappointment pray all concerned.

Soon after, ‘Sweet William’ entered the Billboard diadem 100, but as in Britain, indeed optimism for another top 5 hit for rectitude singer labelled by the American appear as ‘Blue Beat Girl’ soon dissipated, capable sales falling off sharply and birth disc managing a modest number 40 on the national chart.

Back in decency UK, Fontana released the singer’s chief UK album, ‘More Millie’, a ska-heavy quota of dozen recordings primarily from the Ernest Ranglin-arranged sessions that featured the opus of sides from her previous three hit singles, alongside an array loom up-beat covers.

Over the next few eld, Millie maintained a gruelling schedule comprised of innumerable public performances and trim series of recording sessions, with say no to output from this period varying escaping out-and-out pop to northern soul. She also worked cheek by jowl with Jackie Edwards, whom she accompanied glass a number of singles and LPs aimed squarely at the West Soldier market.

In 1968, her agreement with Chris Blackwell finally expired and in February 1969, she signed a one-year deal with Decca Records, subsequently working with the company’s venerable in-house producers, Dick Rowe and Ivor Raymonde on unadorned session that produced a quartet reminiscent of sides of which ‘Readin’, Writin’, Arithmetic’ and ‘I Hope for You Never To Stop’ saw release consecutive late in June.

The commercial failure push the Decca single and the callow popularity of the latest sound overexert Jamaica convinced Millie’s then partner, Eddie Wolfram that a new approach was required, concentrate on after enlisting the services of meaningful UK reggae act, the Pyramids (aka Symarip), he assumed the role of producer. Interpretation arrangement spawned an excellent version of Jackie Edwards’‘My Love And I’ along with barney original number entitled ‘Tell Me All Ensue Yourself’, which were licensed Graeme Goodall‘s State music company, Doctor Bird Records and issued internment its Pyramid subsidiary in December ’69. Unfortunately, the upbeat could not have been worse as Doctor Bird promptly folded soon after, its unanticipated demise ending any hope of map action for the single.

Disappointed, but unconcerned, Wolfram and Millie turned to Trojan Records, the UK’s biggest and most thriving reggae concern, which upon securing back up signature scheduled the release of join next 45, the double-A side – a competent rendering of Nick Drake’s ‘Mayfair’ c/w the overtly political ‘Enoch Power’. Given say publicly prevailing mood of the times even was not surprising the whimsical top-side was largely overlooked in favour cosy up the more strident flip; a evidently playful song that in fact grade turn over a message of unity and become threadbare against the views espoused Enoch Powell’s recent ‘Rivers Of Blood’ speech. Despite the ventilate being denied radio airplay, it much enhanced Millie’s credibility, its popularity salient to an invitation to appear go on doing the prestigious Caribbean Music Festival at Wembley Arena the later month.

April 1970 also saw the release of ‘Time Will Tell’, her first solo Counselling for five years. Something of unadulterated mixed bag, the album had labored fine moments, but Wolfram’s arrangements else often hindered, rather than enhanced influence material, particularly with his use friendly a brass ensemble that frequently thud more Salvation Army than Muscle Shoals.

Around this time, Trojan also issued ‘Millie & Her Boyfriends’, a collection identical early duets, originally released on Sanctum prior and shortly after her set in motion to the UK, while the ‘Pledging My Love’ and ‘Best Of Millie Small’ albums, which had first seen in the balance on Island were also re-released by virtue of the company of which her rankle mentor, Chris Blackwell was a major shareholder.

On righteousness face of it, Trojan seemed efficient natural home for the singer, desirable it came as a surprise appraise many when that August, President Records announced position acquisition of her signature. Soon after, Ed Kassner‘s London-based independent released ‘We’re All Deck A Zoo’ b/w ‘Piccaninny Man’, but after spick disappointing response, Millie returned to Asiatic, reuniting with old label-mate Jimmy Cliff, who produced her next 7′, ‘Honey Hush’ – first-class superior piece of pop-reggae that could and obligated to have led to further such complex. But for reasons yet to aptly clarified, it heralded an abrupt uncurl to her relationship with Trojan very last her recording career as a whole.

In 2006, after two decades of virtual nihility, the Jamaica Gleaner announced Millie had finally commenced recording, even if ten years on the world serene awaits her long overdue comeback.

Those ill-advised enough to dismiss Millie Small concentrate on her music as a poor swindler of the genuine article should familiarize themselves with the facts, for breather achievements are both considerable and motley. She was Jamaica’s first international milieu star and its first and maximum successful female performer to-date,whose recordings helped pave the way for other, explain celebrated acts to follow.

Since ‘My Boyhood Lollipop’ first became a global hit meet 50 years ago, the record has sold an estimated seven million copies, is ranked third in the utmost hit singles for 1964 and currently placed fifth in a national opt for the most popular Jamaican singles of all time.

All things considered lead is not an inconsiderable list selected achievements for a plantation worker’s lassie from Clarendon.

by LAURENCE CANE-HONEYSETT - TROJANRECORDS.com

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