Sophia George

Born in Jamaica, West Indies, the singer first drew notice during 1985 when reggae outlets ran enthusiastic features on an advance Jamaican cut produced by Sangie Davis and titled ‘Girlie Girlie’. The number recounted the exploits of a youthful philanderer toying with members of the opposite sex. Issued in Britain by December, it crossed into the pop listings and climbed to number 7. Her live delivery on the chart program Top Of The Pops drew favorable comment. While still in the UK she joined a concert tour that incorporated a version of Dire Straits’ ‘Walk Of Life’. The 1986 follow-up ‘Lazy Body’, previously a success for Echo Minott, registered only modestly on the pop side yet performed strongly within reggae circles. Released as a double a-side with the polished ‘Can’t Live Without You’, the pairing showcased her expressive vocals. Working in 1987 with producer Willie Lindo she delivered ‘Final Decision’, a cautionary address to overbearing men styled after the dancehall approach of her debut. Further sides from the era included ‘Aint No Meaning’ with DJ Charlie Chaplin, ‘It Burn Me Belly’, and ‘Maga Dog’, the last loosely inspired by the Peter Tosh classic. Between extensive road work that encompassed a 1989 Reggae Sunsplash appearance and support slots for Yellowman on his 1990 US dates, she returned to the studio with producer Home T and the Two Friends crew to record For Everyone. She continued issuing material on the Pow Wow label through the 1990s yet never repeated the commercial reach of her breakthrough hit.