SISTER CAROL
SNWMF 2001
Photo by Lee Abel
Sister Carol, born Carole East,
is one of Jamaica's top
entertainers. Having been born
and raised in the ghettos of
Kingston till the age of 14, her
family immigrated to Brooklyn,
NY in 1973 to look for work. Who
knew that the thriving dancehall
scene in New York City in the
70's would lead Sister Carol to
a path that would include
movies, albums, television
appearances and a Grammy
nomination for her highly
regarded 1996 release, Lyrically
Potent.
Music has always been close to
Sister Carol's heart. In fact,
her father was an engineer that
worked in radio at RJR in
Jamaica and would regularly be
part of the music scene that was
being established in the 1960's
by Studio One's legendary
Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. These
early influences came into play
when Sister Carol began her
musical career, following in the
footsteps of one of her mentors
and friend, DJ Brigadier Jerry.
Having won talent contests in
both Jamaica and New York,
Sister Carol was offered an
opening slot for one of
Jamaica's finest vocal trios,
The Meditations, who had
provided harmony vocals for Bob
Marley. Bringing her greater
recognition and a wider
audience, as well as firmly
establishing her as a
cornerstone of the dancehall/dj
movement, this opportunity
opened the door for her to
record her first two records,
Liberation for Africa and Black
Cinderalla. Sister Carol also
began another facet of her
entertainment career as an
actress, appearing in two
Jonathan Demme movies, Something
Wild and Married to the Mob.
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Having
succeeded in a musical genre that is widely dominated by male
performers, Sister Carol's life is a true testament to the
spirit and energy that she conveys in every live performance she
gives. In her personal life, she has succeeded at being a wife
and a mother, not only raising her children, but also acquiring
a teaching degree in education at the City College of New York.
Professionally, Sister Carol has appeared on NBC's David
Lettermen and Late Night With Conan O'Brien, as well as earning
praise in publications such as Billboard, the Village Voice, and
many others. She has toured the world several times over and was
the familiar voice behind Night Music with David Sanborn as the
MC. In 1999, Tuff Gong, the label started by reggae icon Bob
Marley, released Sister Carol's Isis-the Orginal Womb-man.
Couple this with over 8 albums, dozens of singles and the
aforementioned Grammy nomination, and its clear to see why
Sister Carol is at the top of her field.
Sister Carol
Links:
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