Ronnie Davis & Idren
formed - 1996
b. Ronnie Davis - July 1950
(Savanna La Mar, Jamaica)
Ronnie Davis was born in Savanna La Mar, Jamaica in July of 1950. When he joined the Tennors at the age of seventeen, he began a professional singing career, which now spans some thirty years of recording and performing highlights. The Tennors had already begun to make a name for themselves with lead vocalist Maurice Johnson and George 'Clive' Murphy singing "Pressure And Slide," a big hit for Studio One. Clive saw potential in the young Ronnie Davis early. With coaching and encouragement from Clive, Ronnie was soon singing lead for the Tennors. Together, the Tennors recorded some of the most memorable vocal performances of the period. Titles were released on Treasure Isle, Gay Feet, Prince Buster, Dynamic and the group's own 'Tennors' label. By the time the Tennors began to dissolve, the group had recorded well over fifty titles including productions of Jackie Bernard, Monty Morris and several other artists as well. As rock steady began to evolve into reggae, the Tennors as a group ceased to exist and Ronnie began recording as a solo artist.
As reggae lovers know, the early 1970's began a period of amazing creativity in Jamaican music. Ronnie, living in Kingston at that time, was among the most prolific and successful solo vocalists in Jamaica. From 1971 to 1975, Ronnie recorded well over one hundred titles for a variety of labels and producers. He recorded extensively for Bunny Lee in the early seventies, but it was his work for Lloyd Campbell that would have the most profound effect on his life and professional career. In 1975, Ronnie had a number-one hit for Lloyd Campbell with the tune, "Won't You Come Home," on the Spider Man label. In 1976, the same riddim was re-voiced by Keith Porter, with Ronnie singing the harmony parts. First released as by 'Keith & Ronnie," Campbell quickly renamed them the Itals. The tune, "Inna Dis A Time," went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year and a signature-piece for the new group.
 Acting on the knowledge that Ronnie was a member of the Itals, Nighthawk Records sought him out in Kingston. That first contact in 1980 led to the recording of the first Itals album, "Brutal Out Deh" (NH-303). The Itals' first album was slow to catch on when initially released. However, almost a year after the album had come out, a rave review by New York Times' columnist Robert Palmer had an explosive effect. Almost overnight, the group and their small label found themselves challenged to live up to the praises lauded on the album – coming in a time when reggae was virtually unknown in the larger sense of today. With Bob Marley's death in 1981, public awareness of reggae had fallen off dramatically. In 1983, the Itals began touring with the Roots Radics Band and within the space of two years they were among the top 100 artists of 1985 as rated by Pollstar Magazine. In 1987, their album "Rasta Philosophy" (NHM-7491) was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Despite the many achievements made by the Itals over the years, Ronnie felt the need to project more of his own music. In 1995, he surprised the reggae world by leaving the Itals. In 1996, he debuted a new group Ronnie Davis And Idren -- with harmony provided by a set of singing brethren already well known to Itals' fans: Roy Smith and Robert Doctor. All are long established vocalists from Savanna La Mar, dating from the earliest work by the Itals in various combinations, including the much-loved Jah Children Band.
In 1997, Ronnie Davis and Idren began making live appearances in the US to support the group's first album, "Come Straight," (NH-316). With 30 years of professional success in a hotly competitive music scene, Ronnie Davis has created a new sound which is fresh and up to date, yet retains the timeless appeal of classic roots reggae. Few reggae artists have demonstrated the ability to remain vital with the changing times. Over the years, Ronnie has consistently shown an ability to bring forth the courage and confidence necessary to make a fresh start. For the fans, who know him so well from the Itals, Ronnie Davis and Idren represents a two-for-one split in their "reggae stock market."
-- Courtesy (Nighthawk Records) -- |
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