Hortense Ellis

Profile:Hortense Ellis, the younger sister of reggae superstar, Alton Ellis, was born April 18th 1941 in Trench Town, Jamaica. Her father worked on the railways while her mother ran a fruit stall.
Hortense was just 18 years old when she appeared on The Vere Johns Opportunity Hour, which was then Jamaica's foremost outlet for undiscovered young talent. Her version of Frankie Lymon's "I'm Not Saying No At All" went down so well with the audience and the panel that she was invited back the following week.
Hortense went on to enter many other competitions and showcases managing to reach six semi-finals and four finals. In 1964 she was awarded a silver cup as Jamaica's Best Female Vocalist - a feat she was to repeat five years later.
By the late sixties, Hortense had extensive experience both in live performance and in the studio. She had toured Jamaica with Byron Lee And The Dragonaires and had begun recording with some of the island's top producers. Among these were Ken Lack, Arthur "Duke" Reid and Clement "Coxsone" Dodd.
Alton Ellis was also recording with Dodd at this time and the family connection was cleverly exploited as Dodd produced "female" adaptions of several of Alton's hits for Hortense to record. The ever-resourceful Dodd also paired Alton and Hortense on a run of classic duets.
The siblings toured Canada in 1970 but by the following year Hortense was back in Jamaica. She married Mikey "Junior" Saunders with whom she had five children in quick succession. Although her live performances suffered as a result, Hortense remained busy in the studio. Recording under the name Mahalia Saunders for producer Lee Perry she cut several sides including "Right On The Tip Of My Tongue" and "Piece Of My Heart".
Hortense's biggest commercial success came in the late seventies with a song cut for Augustus "Gussie" Clarke. "Unexpected Places" was a big hit in Jamaica and was released in Britain on the Hawkeye label.
For producer Bunny Lee, Hortense became Queen Tiney for her "Down Town Ting" - an answer record to the Althea & Donna hit "Uptown Top Ranking" which had itself been based on the rhythm of Alton Ellis's "I'm Still in Love With You".
Around this time, Hortense recut many of her Studio One sides with Soul Syndicate,The, Aggrovators, The and the up and coming team of Sly & Robbie .
The rise of the Lovers Rock genre in the late seventies and early eighties resulted in Hortense cutting cover versions of several soul classics including "Down The Aisle" (Patti LaBelle) and "Young Hearts Run Free" (Candi Staton).
Following her divorce from Mikey Saunders, Hortense spent much of the eighties in Miami and New York. On returning to Jamaica in 1989, she began suffering severe health problems; but managed to carry on with occasional live local performances - something she loved immensely.
She recovered sufficiently to make a private visit to New York in the summer of 1999 and then to Miami the following year where illness finally caught up with her.
Hortense Ellis, known by so many in Jamaica and all over the world as "Jamaica's First Lady Of Song", passed away in her sleep in a Kingston hospital on October 18th 2000
URLs:http://www.hortense-ellis.com
In Groups:Hortense And Delroy, Jackie & Hortense
Name Variations: All | Hortense Ellis | H. Ellis | Hortense
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Releases:
I'll Come Softly / I'm In Love (7")   R&B (2) 1963
Stand By Me / Solid Rock (7")   R&B (2) 1964
I've Been A Fool / Hold Me Tenderly (7")   Blue Beat 1965
To The Other Woman / Rain Drops (7")   Gas 1970
I Shall Sing / Stand By Your Man (7")   GAS 1971
Mocking Bird / Corra Bella Baby (7")   Count Shelly 1973
Superstar (7")   Hawkeye 1977
Feelings (LP, Album)   Alltone 1978
If You Knew (12")   JB Music 1979
Untitled (LP, Album)   Amo Records 1980
Alton & Hortense Ellis (LP)   Studio One 1990
I Am In Love / I'm Just A Girl (12")   Soul Jazz Records 2005
I'm Still In Love With You (2xLP)   Heartbeat Records (2) 2006
Super Star (7", Single, RP)   Ja-Man Records 2006
Woman Of The Ghetto / Woman Of The Ghetto Dub (7")   Impact!  
Appears On:
2 Dread Inna Babylon (Album) ◄ (2 versions) First Love Silver Kamel Audio 2006
House Of Singles (LP) Chapter Of My Heart (L... Keyman Records 2006
More Reggae Love Songs (LP)   Sky Note  
Tracks Appear On:
In Session (LP) Version Of Love Trojan Records 1973
Funny Feeling (LP) Unexpected Places Burning Sounds 1976
Burning Up Volume 3 (LP) Unexpected Places Burning Sounds 1984
Mojo Rock Steady (CD, Comp, RM) Secretly Heartbeat Records (2) 1994
The Ska's The Limit Volume 2 (2xCD, Comp) Housewife's Choice Rhino Records 1998
Feel Like Jumping: The Best Of Studio One Women (LP, Comp) Secretly Heartbeat Records (2) 2000
Feel Like Jumping: The Best Of Studio One Women (CD) Secretly Heartbeat Records (2) 2000
Keep The Pressure Down (CD, Comp) Hell And Sorrow Prestige Records 2000
The Complete UK Upsetter Singles Collection Volume 3 (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Piece Of My Heart, Sus... Trojan Records 2000
Trojan Club Reggae Box Set (3xCD, Comp) I Am Gone Trojan Records 2000
Knock Out Ska (LP, Comp) Don't Gamble With Love Heartbeat Records (2), Heartbeat Records (2) 2001
Dancehall '69: 40 Skinhead Reggae Rarities (2xCD, Comp) My Last Date Trojan Records 2003
Impact ! Pre-Release 45 (12", Smplr) Woman Of The Ghetto Universal Sound 2003
Impact! (2xLP) Woman Of The Ghetto Universal Sound 2003
Impact! (CD) Woman Of The Ghetto Universal Sound 2003
Trojan Reggae Sisters Box Set (3xCD, Comp) To The Other Woman Trojan Records 2003
Studio One Women ◄ (2 versions) I'm Just A Girl Soul Jazz Records 2005
2006 Studio One Sampler (CD, Comp) Breaking Up Is Hard To Do Heartbeat Records (2) 2006
Studio One Soul 2 (2xLP) People Make The World ... Soul Jazz Records 2006
Studio One Soul 2 (CD) People Make The World ... Soul Jazz Records 2006
All Shook Up - A Reggae Tribute To The King (CD, Comp) Wooden Heart, Suspicio... Trojan Records 2007
I'll Be Black (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) I'm Still In Love With... Trojan Records 2007
Unofficial Releases:
Studio One Classics: Lovers (LP) Groovy Kind Of Love, Life Not On Label  
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