Born around 1952 in Jamaica, Merlene Webber grew up in a household steeped in music. Alongside her sister Joyce she formed the Webber Sisters, whose recording of “You I Love” became their signature piece, while their brother David joined the original Gladiators lineup that cut sides for Studio One. Merlene herself first entered the studio under Coxsone Dodd at the same Brentford Road facility, where she was soon invited to cut the solo single “No Happiness.” Her immediately recognizable voice surfaced on several early-1970s releases, among them a Clancy Eccles–produced treatment of Tammy Wynette’s country standard “Stand By Your Man.” The follow-up, “Hard Life,” shifted toward a tougher style that resonated strongly on Kingston’s dancehall scene because of its direct references to ghetto realities. Recognition remained elusive, however, until 1976, when producer Lloyd Campbell recruited her for a version of Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is The Deepest” modeled on P.P. Arnold’s earlier reading. The resulting single performed well enough to prompt the release of her debut album, a compilation that also featured a fresh take on her earlier “Stand By Your Man.” Momentum proved difficult to sustain. By 1980 she had issued the singles “Dream Dream” and “Chanting Is,” and the debut collection was repackaged for another release. Occasional new recordings have continued to appear, among them “The Right Track” for the Joe Frazier organization.
