Garnett Silk

Famous for his silk like voice (hence Garnett Silk) Garnett was an overnight sensation on the early 1990s Jamaican Dancehall scene. He started out in the mid-1980s deejaying on various sound systems and even recording the occasional track under the moniker "Little Bimbo". By the first part of the 90s, his locks had grown out and he went from deejay to singer, changing his name to Garnett Silk. Silk was born Garnett Daymon Smith (2 April, 1966) in the Brumalia district of Mandeville, Jamaica. He was taken under the wing of Rasta deejay Tony Rebel and introduced to Sugar Minott's Youthman Promotion sound system, which had a hand in recruiting many young acts who later became international stars. Along with Rebel, Silk reintroduced Rastafarianism into a dancehall scene which by 1992 had become nearly overwrought with X-rated and violent lyrics. He burst on the scene recording many hit tunes and albums, including "Nothing Can Divide Us", "It's Growing" and "100% Silk". Tragically a fire at his mother's house on 9 December 1994 killed both Garnett and his mother (with Garnett first escaping then giving up his own life trying to save his mother's). The Jamaican reggae scene was shocked by his death and it is a testament to his talent and his amazing voice that his music is still selling worldwide today, possibly stronger now than it did before his untimely demise.