Bounty Killer Hails Producer Mikey Bennett: “National Treasure In Dancehall And Reggae”
Bounty Killer has hailed iconic producer and songwriter Mikey Bennett, as a “national treasure in Dancehall and Reggae”.
“Salute to the Boss the Godfather the Coach Sir Mikey Bennett. May Jah keep on showering his blessings upon you and shine his light at your footsteps. You’re a national treasure to this culture of reggae and dancehall. Happiest 70th birthday to you bossy longest live blessing nuff prosperity good he’s and that’s the wealth🎉🥂🍾💫🥳💕🙏🏾,” Bounty noted on an Instagram post of himself in performance at Bennett’s 70th birthday party.
Bounty further venerated Bennett, the CEO of Grafton Studios, who is referred to in music circles as the “Quincy Jones of Reggae”, for the critical role he played in launching his international career.
“So Mikey, mi nuh rememba di record label if a Pow Pow. Brian, Tony, oonu can remind mi….1992, there was a musical expo round there with some international music insiders. An’ I was invited by Mr Mikey Bennett as Jammys young act. And I went and I impressed. And from there, the world invest. And I don’t have to tell you the rest,” Bounty rhymed as the audience erupted in laughter.
“It was on Grafton Road that we went to the Grafton school and we have been grafting and grafting and grafting,” he quipped after, referring to Bennett’s Vineyard Town-based studio.
Bennett, who is also a singer and arranger, is a former member of the Home T band and a graduate of West Indies College (now Northern Caribbean University). Since the 1980s, he has composed and produced music for international artists such as Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest, Ziggy Marley, Dennis Brown, UB40, Cocoa Tea, and Admiral Bailey.
He was also the composer of Barrington Levy’s Living Dangerously, Fantan Mojah’s Hail The King, as well as producer and composer of Beres Hammond’s Love From A Distance, and Tony Rebel’s Vibes of the Time.
Also included in his extensive production catalog are House Call and Mr. Loverman, both featuring Shabba Ranks, Telephone Love with JC Lodge, Brian and Tony Gold’s Can You, and Dennis Brown’s If You Want Me.
Bennett was also director and producer of the Reggae album titled The Heart of Jamaica for St Elizabeth-based rum producer Appleton Estate in 2018, which comprised songs from artists such as Jesse Royal, Wayne Marshall, Sevana, Natel and Jodi-Ann Pantry.
Mikey’s first commercial hit was Mek the Christmas Ketch You In A Good Mood which was written by him and recorded by his Home T band in 1981.
He has received many awards, including the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) award in 2017 for mentorship.
Bennett also worked with King Jammy’s Waterhouse-based label as a vocal arranger and staff writer back in the 1980s, as well as Jack Scorpio, and Gussie Clarke, who is credited with offering him (a very lucrative) first publishing deal.
In 1988 Mikey helped to arrange the original version of J.C. Lodge’s Telephone Love with Home-T providing backing vocals on the track.
Mikey Bennett worked with Gussie Clarke until the early 90s when he set up his Philadelphia-based Two Friends label with Patrick Lindsay, under which he propelled the careers of young artists such as Brian and Tony Gold and Chevelle Franklin.
Using the Music Works Recording Studio, he produced hits for Dennis Brown, Cocoa Tea, Shabba Ranks and Cutty Ranks.
Dennis Brown’s No More Walls which he produced, became a massive hit.
Other hits for the two included Gregory Isaacs’ Loverman, Brian and Tony Gold’s, Ram Dance and Daddy Lizard’s Show Them The Way.
Cutty Ranks took the deejay role when Shabba Ranks became unavailable to record a follow-up to the successful combination single. This resulted in the Home T, Cutty Ranks and Cocoa Tea collabs The Going Is Rough and Another One For The Road.