Eight months after the passing of iconic Jamaican singer-songwriter Ernie Smith at the age of 80, family, friends, and industry peers gathered at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Davie, South Florida on May 16 to celebrate his life, legacy, and decades-long contributions to Caribbean music.
Among the most touching tributes came from Claudette Bailey Smith, the songwriter’s widow, who shared the whimsical, unexpected story of how their love story began. The pair met for the first time in May 2022, when Smith arrived at Bailey Smith’s Miami home. Barely an hour into their first encounter, amid casual conversation, the charismatic songwriter leaned in and popped the question: “Will you marry me?” Bailey Smith’s immediate answer was a firm “no.” But Smith, ever persistent, wore down her resistance, and the pair tied the knot exactly one year later, a match Bailey Smith described as ordained by heaven.
Looking back on their time together, Bailey Smith reflected on the profound late-in-life love the pair shared. “After living the first 70 years of my life, to finally find a person that I could love in a proper way… It went beyond the physical, it went to a stratosphere I was not familiar with. But I loved me and he loved me,” she told the gathered crowd.
Born Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith in Kingston, Jamaica, Smith built a decades-long career that left an indelible mark on Jamaican music. His rise to prominence came in the 1960s and 1970s at Federal Records, the iconic Khouri family-owned label where he was a breakout star alongside fellow artist Pluto Shervington. Over his years at the label, he racked up a long list of chart-topping hits, including fan favorites *Life is Just For Living*, *Pitta Patta*, *Duppy Gunman*, *Bend Down*, *Ride On Sammy*, *Sunday Morning Come Down*, and *I For Jesus*.
In the late 1970s, Smith made the decision to migrate to Canada, where he continued his music career before eventually relocating to South Florida. He returned to his Jamaican roots in the early 1990s. Even as he found global success, those who knew him remembered that Smith never lost the quiet humility he cultivated growing up in St Ann, Jamaica.
Wednesday’s service brought together a wide cross-section of Smith’s loved ones and industry colleagues. Tributes were delivered by his brother Paul Smith, long-time friend and attorney Merrick Drummar, veteran tour manager Copeland Forbes, veteran broadcaster Clinton Lindsay, Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami Oliver Mair, and George Raymond, an audio engineer who worked alongside Smith at Federal Records throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
The celebration of Smith’s life also featured musical performances from a host of artists connected to the songwriter. Two of his five children, Ojay and Sahara, took the stage to perform, alongside legendary saxophonist Dean Fraser, singer Carlene Davis, Charmaine Lemonious, and Ed Robinson. Before performing her iconic hit *Like Old Friends Do*, Davis shared memories of her longstanding friendship with Smith, which dated back to their time living together in Canada, when she served as his opening act and harmony vocalist.
In addition to the performers and speakers, the service was attended by Smith’s immediate family: all five of his children and three of his four grandchildren, alongside five of his siblings. Notable industry figures also turned out to pay their respects, including reggae legend Freddie McGregor, Inner Circle band member Roger Lewis, and iconic music impresario Tommy Cowan. Smith passed away on April 16 this year at his Miami home, leaving behind a rich musical legacy that continues to resonate with fans across the globe.