View source for Ras Michael

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use Jamaican English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Ras Michael
| image               =
| caption             =
| image_size          =
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          = Michael George Henry
| birth_date          = {{birth year and age|1943}}
| birth_place         = [[Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica|St. Mary]], Jamaica
| death_date          =
| origin              =
| instrument          = Vocals, [[Akete|repeater]]
| genre               = [[Reggae]]
| occupation          =
| years_active        =
| label               = [[Trojan Records|Trojan]], Dynamic Sounds, [[ROIR]], [[VP Records|VP]]
| associated_acts     = The Sons of Negus, [[Suns of Arqa]]
| website             =
}}
'''Michael George Henry''' [[Order of Distinction|OD]] (born 1943), better known as '''Ras Michael''', is a Jamaican [[reggae]] singer and [[Nyabinghi rhythm|Nyabinghi]] specialist. He also performs under the name of '''Dadawah'''.
==Biography==
Henry was born in [[Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica]], where he was raised in a [[Rastafari]] community.<ref name="Katz">Katz, David (2006) ''People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry'', Omnibus Press, {{ISBN|9781846094439}}, p. 305</ref> As a teenager he moved to [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]]'s Waterhouse district where he played with local Rastafari musicians.<ref name="Katz"/> 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 to have a reggae radio program in Jamaica (''The Lion of Judah Time'' program first aired in 1967 on the [[Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation|JBC]]).  His band is called '''The Sons of Negus''' and are known for their traditional Nyabinghi drumming and chanting.<ref name=Gleaner/>
[[Tommy Cowan]] saw Ras Michael's group in 1974, and released an album of their music later that year as ''Nyahbinghi''.<ref name="Campbell-1801">Campbell, Howard (2018) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20180128103455/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/a-second-serving-of-ras-michael_123664?profile=1116 A Second Serving of Ras Michael]", ''[[Jamaica Observer]]'', 28 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018</ref> 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]], guitarist [[Earl "Chinna" Smith]], keyboard player [[Robbie Lyn]], and additional guitar from [[Peter Tosh]]; ''Rastafari'', which featured a painting of a young [[Haile Selassie]] by [[Neville Garrick]] 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.<ref name="Campbell-1801" />
Ras Michael contributed to recording sessions at [[Lee "Scratch" Perry]]'s [[Black Ark]] studio (including sessions with [[Bob Marley]]), and he performed with Marley at the [[One Love Peace Concert]] in Jamaica in 1978.<ref name=Gleaner>{{cite web|last=Cooke|first=Mel|title=Ras Michael focused on togetherness – Two-hour set to be witnessed at Redbones Blues Cafe|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130123/ent/ent1.html|work=Jamaica Gleaner|accessdate=24 January 2013|date=23 January 2013}}</ref> With the Sons of Negus he recorded an album (''Love Thy Neighbor'') with Perry at the Black Ark.<ref name="Katz" /> He recorded 'Give Love' with [[Suns of Arqa]] in 1984 for their album ''[[India?]]''. In all, he has recorded over 25 albums.<ref name=Gleaner/>
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]] Culture Center in [[Los Angeles]], and the Fly Away Culture Center in [[Kingston, Jamaica]]. Currently he lives in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="Campbell-1801" />
In August 2015 it was announced that he would be awarded the [[Order of Distinction]] by the Jamaican government in recognition of his contribution to the development of the country's music.<ref>Campbell, Howard (2015) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20180418115637/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Drummer-of-distinction_19223296#google_vignette Drummer of distinction]", ''[[Jamaica Observer]]'', 12 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015</ref>
== Discography ==
*''Nyahbinghi'' (1974), Starapple/[[Trojan Records|Trojan]]
*''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 Records|Shanachie]]
*''Zion Train'' (1988), [[SST Records|SST]]
*''Know Now'' (1989), Shanachie
*''Rastafari Dub'' (1989), [[ROIR]]
*''Mediator'' (1992), High Times
*''Spiritual Roots'' (1999), [[VP Records|VP]]
*''Lion Country'' (1999), Roots & Culture
*''A Weh Dem a Go Do Wid It'' (2003), [[ROIR]]
*''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]]
*''Anthology'' (2001), Culture Press
*''Merry Peasant'' (2003), 2b1
*''Reggae Best'' (2004), Culture Press
*''Reggae Masters'' (2009), Creon
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/581 Ras Michael Discography at Roots Archive]
* [http://www.ireggae.com/rasmichael.htm Audio Interview with Ras Michael at ireggae] 7 April 2002. Duration: 57 minutes. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michael, Ras}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica]]
[[Category:Jamaican reggae musicians]]
[[Category:Jamaican Rastafarians]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Distinction]]