Biography
Ijahman Levi, born Trevor Sutherland, spent more than four decades shaping the forefront of Jamaican music. His most recognized recording, the 1985 duet “I Do” with his second wife Madge, reached the summit of the British charts, yet he has gone on shaping reggae and ska singers through an eclectic style and lyrics centered on spirituality, love, and humanity. After completing high school in Kingston, he received guidance from vocal coach Joe Higgs. At thirteen he cut his debut single, “Red Eyes People,” with Stranjah Cole for Duke Reid Productions. He formed the band Vibrations in 1965, and after relocating with the group became a steady attraction at the Q club. When Vibrations split, he started Youth And Rudie And The Shell Shock and continued performing with them until he began a solo career under the name Youth in 1966. Multiple labels pursued him, resulting in 1967 singles for Polydor and 1968 releases for Decca. His progress halted in 1970 with an arrest that led to a three-year prison term. While incarcerated he adopted the name Ijahman Levi and composed the enduring song “Jah Heavy Lord.” Freed in 1974, he took shelter at the Twelve Tribes headquarters on St. Agnes Place, devoting much of his time to biblical study. In 1975 he taped “Jah Heavy Lord” for the Concrete Jungle imprint of Dip Records. After contributing vocals to Rico Rodrigues’ Island album Man From Warika, label chief Chris Blackwell offered him a contract. Geoffrey Chung produced the two Island LPs that followed—Haile I Hymn in 1978 and Are We A Warrior in 1979. Success with those releases prompted Levi to depart Island and launch Tres Roots Records International in 1980. The next year he married Madge. Throughout the 1990s he stayed active, appearing at Zimbabwe’s Sunsplash in 1991 and visiting the Gambian state house in 1996 as a guest of President Jammeh.
Albums
