Tommy Cowan

Tommy Cowan (b. Thomas Cowan, 6 April 1946, Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica) is a reggae producer and singer, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s.cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae |year= 1998 |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-7535-0242-9 ]

Biography

Cowan entered the music business in the mid-1960s as a member of The Merricoles, a vocal group who won a local talent contest. The group changed their name to The Jamaicans in 1967, and won the Jamaican Song Festival with the Duke Reid-produced "Baba Boom", which also topped the Jamaican chart. More hits followed in the form of "Sing Freedom", "Things You Say You Love", and "Woman Go Home", before the group split up.

Cowan then took up a job as Sales & Marketing manager at Byron Lee's Dynamic Studios, which gave him the experience needed to move into record production, working with artists including Jacob Miller and Inner Circle, Earl Zero, Ray I, Leroy Smart, Ras Michael, The Cimarons, Dean Stone, and Junior Tucker.cite book |last=Barrow |first=Steve |coauthors= Dalton, Peter |title=Reggae: The Rough Guide |year= 1997 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=1-85828-247-0 ] An album of dubs of Cowan's productions from this era, "Ras Claat Dub" was issued on the Grounation label. Several other Cowan-produced sets were credited to the Fatman Ridim Section. Cowan also produced Israel Vibration's "The Same Song" and "Why Worry" albums and the latter's associated dub set, "Israel Tafari", mixed by King Tubby. Cowan became Inner Circle's manager and set up the Top Ranking record label. Cowan also worked as a Master of Ceremonies at Reggae Sunsplash festivals and at the One Love Peace Concert, organized by Bob Marley. Cowan helped Marley to set up his Tuff Gong studio, and Marley invited Cowan to accompany him on his tour of Europe, and then Zimbabwe in 1980, where he compered the Zimbabwe Independence Day Concert in Salisbury. Back in Jamaica, Cowan built up his Talent Corporation company, which he had originally founded in 1975,cite web |url=http://www.pressure.co.uk/item/PS52/ |title=Various Artists - Life Goes In Circles (Sounds From The Talent Corporation 1974 to 1979) |accessdaymonth=10 February |accessyear=2008 |author= |year= |month= |work= |publisher=Pressure Sounds |quote= ] with artists such as John Holt, Dobby Dobson, Ruddy Thomas, Toots Hibbert, Ernie Smith, Scotty, Jack Radics, and Cowan's second wife Carlene Davis. In 1982, he released an album, "The King's Music", credited to Tommy Cowan & Thunder, and featuring musicians such as Willie Lindo, Robbie Lyn, Lloyd Parks, Bongo Herman, and Dean Fraser, with backing vocals from his wife Carlene Davis, and Beres Hammond.

Previously a Rastafarian, Cowan converted to Christianity in 1996. In 1998 Tommy, together with his wife Carlene, began Vessel Ministries and today they both operate the Judah Recording Studio and the Glory Music record label, concentrating on Gospel music. [cite web |url=http://www.jackrussellmusic.net/artist.php?artist_id=6 |title=Tommy Cowan and Carlene Davies |accessdaymonth=10 February |accessyear=2008 |author= |year= |month= |work=jackrusselmusic.net |publisher=Jack Russell Music |quote= ] Reid, Tyrone S. (2007) " [http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20070901t150000-0500_126916_obs_tommy_and_carlene__a_gospel_affair_.asp Tommy and Carlene: A Gospel Affair] ", Sunday Observer, September 2 2007] Cowan is also the producer of Jamaica's largest Christian music festival, Fun in the Son.

In October 2007, Cowan was awarded the Order of Distinction (Commander Class).

In 2006, Pressure Sounds issued a compilation of Cowan's productions, "Life Goes In Circles (Sounds From The Talent Corporation 1974 to 1979)".

Albums

*"The King's Music" (1982) MIC (Tommy Cowan & Thunder)

References

External links

* [http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/552 Tommy Cowan at Roots Archives]
* [http://www.reggaeid.co.uk/producers.php?producer=Tommy%20Cowan Tommy Cowan productions at ReggaeID]
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Tommy+Cowan Tommy Cowan at discogs.com]
* [http://www.travellady.com/Issues/March05/1286FunintheSON.htm Fun In the Son]