Sister Carol

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Sister Carol

The music of rastawoman Sister Carol carries a potent message to younger listeners, urging them to take the high road and work for lasting, peaceful change. Since the early '80s, she has also been a driving feminist force in a genre still dominated by male performers.

Born Carol East and raised to age 14 in the ghettos of Kingston, she grew up influenced by a variety of musical styles ranging from traditional reggae to R&B to gospel to jazz to rock. She still draws her diverse musical background in her music to help reach out to international audiences. Her family emigrated to Brooklyn when Sister Carol was a young teen to look for work. Carol went on to earn a degree in education at City College, NY. She came to music in 1981 after meeting Brigadier Jerry. They met just before she gave birth. He had a tremendous effect upon her and shortly after having the child she began singing and writing songs patterned after those of Jerry. By 1982 she had waxed her first two singles, "Black Cinderella," and "Jamaica Little Africa." Her first album Liberation for Africa had a limited release through Serious Gold.

Her career got a real boost when she appeared in a couple of Jonathan Demme films Something Wild in which she sang "Wild Thing" during the closing credits and Married to the Mob. While recording her next two albums Black Cinderella and Jah Disciple, Sister Carol began producing her own singles on her Black ...

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