Ras Michael

Ras Michael

Also known as: Dadawah

Michael George Henry OD (born 1943), better known as Ras Michael, is a Jamaican reggae singer and Nyabinghi specialist. He also performs under the name of Dadawah.

Biography
Henry was born in Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, where he was raised in a Rastafari community. As a teenager he moved to Kingston's Waterhouse district where he played with local Rastafari musicians. He set up the Zion Disc label in the mid-1960s, and also worked at Coxsone Dodd's Studio One as a session musician and released a number of singles. He was the first member of the Rastafari movement to have a reggae radio program in Jamaica (The Lion of Judah Time program first aired in 1967 on the JBC). His band is called The Sons of Negus and are known for their traditional Nyabinghi drumming and chanting. Tommy Cowan saw Ras Michael's group in 1974, and released an album of their music later that year as Nyahbinghi. The album did not sell well, so Cowan produced a second album, Rastafari (1975), with the group augmented by top studio musicians, including bassist Robbie Shakespeare, guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith, keyboard player Robbie Lyn, and additional guitar from Peter Tosh; Rastafari, which featured a painting of a young Haile Selassie by Neville Garrick on the cover, was more commercially successful, and was followed in 1977 by Kibir Am Lak, which increased the popularity of the group in Europe and the United States. Ras Michael contributed to recording sessions at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark studio (including sessions with Bob Marley), and he performed with Marley at the One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica in 1978. With the Sons of Negus he recorded an album (Love Thy Neighbor) with Perry at the Black Ark. He recorded "Give Love" with Suns of Arqa in 1984 for their album India? In all, he has recorded over 25 albums. In addition to acting as an evangelist, ambassador and diplomat for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahido Church internationally, Ras Michael is one of the founders and president of the Rastafarian International/Marcus Garvey Culture Center in Los Angeles, and the Fly Away Culture Center in Kingston, Jamaica. Currently he lives in Los Angeles. In August 2015 it was announced that he would be awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his contribution to the development of the country's music.

Albums (14)

Compilations (2)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
New Name Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus New Name RB 3007 CD Culture Press 1977 1994
Anthology Ras Michael Anthology CD 47203.2 CD Culture Press 197X 2001

Credits & Appearances (33)

Production
Arranger 3
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Nyahbinghi Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Nyahbinghi STAR LP 002 LP Starapple 1974 1974
Kibir-Am-Lak Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Kibir-Am-Lak none LP Top Ranking 1977 1977
Movements Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Movements none LP Dynamic Sounds 1978 1978
Producer 3
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Movements Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Movements none LP Dynamic Sounds 1978 1978
Love Thy Neighbour Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Love Thy Neighbour JL 005 LP Jah Life 1979 1979
Disarmament Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Disarmament TRLS 203 LP Trojan 1981 1981
Technicians
Engineer 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Love Thy Neighbour Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Love Thy Neighbour JL 005 LP Jah Life 1979 1979
Musicians
Backing Vocals 2
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Revelation Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Revelation TRLS 212 LP Trojan 1982 1982
Jah Jah Come Now A. Doeman Jah Jah Come Now LP I&I 198X 1980
Bass Drum 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Revelation Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Revelation TRLS 212 LP Trojan 1982 1982
Drums 2
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Give Thankx Jimmy Cliff Give Thankx BSK 3240 LP Warner 1978 1978
Disarmament Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Disarmament TRLS 203 LP Trojan 1981 1981
Funde 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Kibir-Am-Lak Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Kibir-Am-Lak none LP Top Ranking 1977 1977
Percussions 4
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Movements Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Movements none LP Dynamic Sounds 1978 1978
Come Zion Side Happiness King Sounds Come Zion Side Happiness GMLP 22 LP Grove Music 1979 1979
Disarmament Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus Disarmament TRLS 203 LP Trojan 1981 1981
Jah Jah Come Now A. Doeman Jah Jah Come Now LP I&I 198X 1980
Vocals 13

Also Appears On (15)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Rastafari Various Artists Rastafari SJRCD 312 CD Soul Jazz 1955-83 2015
This Is Reggae Music Various Artists This Is Reggae Music TJNBX 254 CD Trojan 1960-75 2005
Arise Rootsman Various Artists Arise Rootsman TJDDD 118 CD Trojan 1965-83 2003
The Trojan Story Vol 1&2 Various Artists The Trojan Story Vol 1&2 TALL 100-200 LP Trojan 196X-7X
Trojan Nyahbinghi Box Set Various Artists Trojan Nyahbinghi Box Set TJETD 094 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2003
Studio One Sound Various Artists Studio One Sound SJRCD 256 CD Soul Jazz 196X-8X 2015
History Of Trojan Records 1972-95 Various Artists History Of Trojan Records 1972-95 CDTAL 900 CD Trojan 1972-95 1996
Barry Myers Presents Scratchy Sounds Various Artists Barry Myers Presents Scratchy Sounds TJDDD 218 CD Trojan 197X 2004
By The Rivers Of Babylon Various Artists By The Rivers Of Babylon SH 45031 CD Shanachie 197X 1997
Dub Massive Chapter 1 Various Artists Dub Massive Chapter 1 TJCCD 255 CD Trojan 197X 2005
Dub Massive Chapter 2 Various Artists Dub Massive Chapter 2 TJCCD 256 CD Trojan 197X 2005
Ranking Miss P Presents Sweet Harmony Various Artists Ranking Miss P Presents Sweet Harmony TJDDD 101 CD Trojan 197X 2003
Scratchy Sounds Various Artists Scratchy Sounds TJDDD 218 CD Trojan 197X 2004
Trojan Roots Box Set Various Artists Trojan Roots Box Set TRBCD 008 CD Trojan 197X 1999
A Place Called Africa Various Artists A Place Called Africa TJDDD 041 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2002
16 albums
33 credits
15 labels
1974 - 2001