BY HOWARD CAMPBELL—
Observer senior writer—
Marcia Griffiths and Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, grandson of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I —
It was more than just singing for Marcia Griffiths on the just-concluded leg of her tour to support Timeless , the singer’s latest album. According to Copeland Forbes, her tour manager, she shared her over 50 years of experience in the music business with fans.
Griffiths performed at major festivals in Austria (One Love), Belgium (Geel), United Kingdom (Boomtown), and Spain (Rototom Sunsplash). She also did two shows in the UK with Super Cat and a solo date at the Q Factory in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Forbes said the highlight of the trek was Griffiths’ appearance at Rototom Sunplash’s Reggae University, a feature of the festival since 2007. Griffiths fielded questions from attendees for over one hour.
“The panel delved into things from way back, to the Studio One days and songs Bob (Marley) did for Mr Dodd (producer Clement Dodd) people didn’t know about. She had to put her thinking cap on,” Forbes explained.
Among the ‘students’ at Reggae University was Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, grandson of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I.
“He came just to see Marcia and learn more about reggae. He said he wanted to hear from someone who was there,” said Forbes.
Prior to her latest shows, Griffiths had performed in Sweden and Switzerland.
Griffiths started her recording career at Studio One, where her labelmates included Boothe, Bob Andy, Alton Ellis and The Wailing Wailers, which included Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston.
In the 1970s, she was a member of the I-Three, Marley’s harmony group, which toured and recorded with him. During that decade, Griffiths maintained a successful solo career, releasing songs like Melody Life, Dreamland and Stepping Outa Babylon.
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