At the annual Dennis Brown tribute show in downtown Kingston last February, Chester Miller was one of the surprise stars. His identical renditions of For You and Caress me Girl drew rapturous applause and instant comparisons with the Crown Prince of Reggae.
Miller, who has lived in Toronto, Canada for over 30 years, counts Brown, who died in 1999, as his biggest influence. His raspy vocals can be heard on the recently released Please Have A Heart, a song co-produced by Sly and Robbie and Rory Baker.
The dreadlocked Miller, who is originally from Manchester in central Jamaica, met Sly, Robbie and Baker through Leroy Brown, another Jamaican artist who lived in Canada for many years.
He brought the Dennis Brown sound to Please Have A Heart which is driven by the rhythm of Gregory Isaacs’ Soon Forward, produced by Sly and Robbie in 1979.Miller considers the ‘D Brown’ comparisons a blessing.
“No, I could never get tired of people comparing me to the greatest singer to ever come out of Jamaica, Dennis Emanuel Brown! It’s an honor, and the fact that he took a liking to me and we became close through the years,” he said.
According to Miller, he was first introduced to Brown in the mid-1980’s through Leroy Sibbles of The Heptones who was also based in Toronto at the time.
“He was rehearsing at a place called Zincfence in Kingston for Reggae Sunsplash. Dennis was very encouraging; he once told me try not to sing too hard at the beginning of any show, sing calmly till you feel your voice has warmed up, that way you don’t cause vocal strain,” Miller recalled.
He began recording during that period, Saturday Evening and Never Run Away among his early songs.
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