Marcia Barrett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcia Barrett
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Barrett in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Born | 14 October 1948 Saint Catherine Parish, British Jamaica |
| Origin | England |
| Genres | R&B, eurodisco, reggae |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Labels | Hansa Records, Sony-BMG, BSC Music |
| Associated acts | Boney M. |
Marcia Barrett was born on October 14, 1948. She is a singer from Jamaica and Britain. Marcia was one of the first singers in the famous music group Boney M..
Contents
Marcia's Early Life and Music Journey
Marcia was born in Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica. When she was 15, her family moved to Croydon, England. Later, in the 1960s, she moved to Germany. There, she joined a band and performed with popular singers like Karel Gott and Rex Gildo.
In 1971, Marcia signed with Metronome Records. She released her first song, "Could Be Love". It was written by Drafi Deutscher. At the same time, she kept performing other well-known songs. These included "Son of a Preacher Man" and "Oh Happy Day".
Joining the Famous Group Boney M.
In 1975, Marcia joined Boney M.. This group started with models and dancers. They performed a song called "Baby Do You Wanna Bump". It was recorded by music producer Frank Farian. This song became popular in some European countries.
In early 1976, another singer, Claudja Barry, left the group. Marcia suggested her friend, Liz Mitchell, who was also from Jamaica. Liz was a great singer. Frank Farian then asked both Marcia and Liz to record a new song. This song was "Daddy Cool".
They recorded Boney M.'s first album, Take the Heat Off Me, in 1976. After they appeared on a German TV show called Musikladen, the group became very famous across Europe. They had many hit songs and albums for the next ten years.
Boney M. had four official members. However, only Marcia Barrett and Liz Mitchell sang in the recording studio. Frank Farian also provided male vocals. Another member, Bobby Farrell, would pretend to sing these parts during live shows and on TV.
Marcia's Role in Boney M.'s Hits
Liz Mitchell often sang the main parts in Boney M.'s songs. But Marcia Barrett sang important harmony parts. She also shared the lead vocals with Liz on many big hits. These included "Daddy Cool", "Ma Baker", and "Rasputin".
Marcia also sang the main vocals on several songs on Boney M.'s albums. One of these was the title track of their first album, Take the Heat off Me. She also sang "Lovin' or Leavin'". In 1977, these songs were released as a solo single for Marcia.
She also sang the lead on "Belfast". This song was a hit in Germany and across Europe. On the album Nightflight to Venus, Marcia sang "Nightflight To Venus" and "King of the Road". She also sang "Never Change Lovers in the Middle of the Night". This song became a favorite during their live performances.
Marcia sang the opening parts of Boney M.'s 1978 Christmas hit, "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord". She was also the lead singer on "No Time to Lose" from the 1979 album Oceans of Fantasy.
Changes and Challenges for Boney M.
In 1981, Marcia sang the lead on the song "We Kill the World (Don't Kill the World)". This song was a big hit in Spain and South Africa. After 1982, the group became less popular. Bobby Farrell was replaced by Reggie Tsiboe.
In 1983, Marcia worked with Eddy Grant to record some demo songs. However, she was still part of Boney M. because of her contract. On their seventh album, Ten Thousand Lightyears, Marcia mostly sang backing vocals. On their last album, Eye Dance, her voice was barely heard.
After Liz Mitchell left the group in 1989, the group members went their separate ways. Marcia Barrett was not involved in any of the new Boney M. projects or recordings that came out later.
Life After Boney M.
Marcia faced many challenges after Boney M. split up in 1990. While she was recording rock songs in Germany, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had to stop working for a while because of her illness.
By 1997, she started working on new dance songs with producer Scott Christina. Her album, Survival, was released in 1999. She also released a benefit song called No War! Peace and Love in 2003. This song was a protest against the war in Iraq. It raised money for the War Child charity.
Marcia's Music Today
Marcia released her second album, Come into My Life, in 2005. It included a new version of "Belfast" and original songs she wrote with her husband, Marcus. The album also featured a cover of "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac. Marcia was allowed to add her own lyrics to this song by its composer, Peter Green.
Marcia also toured with her own version of Boney M. She attended the premieres of the Daddy Cool musical in London and Berlin. In 2009, she started her own music label, Xoah Records. She released new versions of her songs "Seeing Is Believing" and "I Don't Know Why". Her third solo album, Strange Rumours, was planned but put on hold when she faced another health challenge.
Today, Marcia lives in Berlin with her husband, Marcus James. They got married in 1984. Marcus was a guitarist in Eddy Grant's band. Marcia also has a son who was born in the UK when she was 16.
In June 2018, Marcia's life story, Forward - My Life With and Without Boney M., was published. A German version of her book was also released.
See also
In Spanish: Marcia Barrett para niños
