Even torrential downpours and a nationwide power failure could not dampen the spirits of attendees who gathered June 5 to celebrate the enduring legacy of beloved Jamaican singer-songwriter Glenroy Anthony “Ernie” Smith at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew. Just over 100 guests, including Smith’s family and fellow music industry peers, turned out to pay their respects to the iconic artist, who passed away April 16 in Miami at the age of 80.
Personal remembrances painted a multifaceted portrait of Smith, highlighting both his extraordinary artistic talent and his deeply held personal values. Paul Smith, the musician’s younger brother by two years, shared intimate memories of their shared childhood rooted in a love for Jamaica’s rural landscapes, particularly the parish of St Ann where Smith spent his formative years. “To the world, he was Ernie, to the family he was Glen. To me, he was my big brother… He was my guide and protector, especially in the formative years,” Paul explained.
Claudette Bailey Smith, Smith’s widow, reflected on the quiet joy the pair shared over five years of marriage, noting that behind the laid-back vibe of fan favorites such as *Pitta Patta* and *Duppy Gunman* lay a man with a sharp, uncompromising social conscience. “He was deep, he was socially-conscious, he was poetic. He could quote poems that he learned from age 12,” she said of her late husband. Attendees also heard tributes from Jamaica’s Minister of Entertainment and Culture Olivia “Babsy” Grange, representatives from York Castle High School—Smith’s alma mater—Old Students Association, close friend Dave Turano, and vocalist A J Brown, who delivered his remarks via pre-recorded video.
The event featured a full lineup of moving musical tributes performed by a roster of Jamaican music talent including Charmaine Limonius, Smith’s son Ojay Smith, Boris Gardiner, Grub Cooper, Roy Rayon, Abijah, Carlene Davis, the Glen Myers-led harmony trio, Bongo Herman, and the Tivoli Dance Troupe.
A towering figure in Jamaican music, Smith rose to prominence as a leading creative force at Federal Records during the 1970s, where he cut many of his most iconic tracks including *Life is Just For Living*, *Duppy Gunman*, and *All For Jesus*, alongside a well-received cover of Kris Kristofferson’s *Sunday Morning Coming Down*. After decades living abroad in Canada and South Florida through the 1980s, Smith returned to his home country of Jamaica in the early 1990s, resuming his contribution to the local music scene. Looking ahead, a new tribute album honoring Smith’s decades-long career, produced by Ed Robinson, is slated to launch to the public in July.