Beres Hammond
Hugh Beresford Hammond, was born 28 August 1955 in Annoto Bay, St Mary, Jamaica. He is a reggae songwriter and artist. Deemed a legend in the industry for lover’s rock and conscious reggae, Beres mastered his craft in the 70s influenced by ska, rocksteady and jazz music. His music is influenced by the likes of Alton Ellis and Ottis Redding. His first recordings came in 1972-73 at talent shows, with tracks like Ellis ‘Wanderer’. In 1978, as the lead singer of Zap Pow, the group released the hit song ‘The System’ which then paved the way for him to pursue a solo career dropping his first solo album Soul Reggae. He eventually went solo in 1979 and was able to drop more albums, which include Let’s Make a Song (1980) and Red Light (1981).
After a home invasion in 1987, where he was tied up and had his house ransacked Beres moved to New York where he continued to make music. With his own label, Harmony Records, Beres Hammond has 19 studio albums to his name and is a public icon in Jamaica. He performed at the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony in 2007 and remains a stalwart in reggae.
