SUSAN CADOGAN

It happened by chance, early in 1974. Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) Disc Jockey, Jerry Lewis, through a mutual friend convinced Anne Cadogan, a 22 year old Library Assistant at the University of the West Indies Library, to try and sing a song he had written. From her early teens, Anne used to sing along while listening to the Supremes, The Platters, and The Drifters some of her early favorites but she had never dreamed of doing so professionally.

As a result, she soon found herself at the Black Ark studio of Lee ‘Scratch” Perry recording the song Love My Life. Perry was impressed and asked her if she would do a song for him too… the song was Hurt So Good. She knew the song well as her love of music kept her abreast of popular hits and so she willingly recorded the single along with the trio the (soon to be Mighty) Diamonds doing background vocals.

Her life began to change from that night. Perry dubbed her “Susan” saying it was a “sexier” name and gave her tapes of songs to learn and she began to live for the weekends when, on Sundays, she would go to the Black Ark where she recorded track after track for what was to be her first Long Playing Album. The single Hurt So Good, after first creating a storm in the Eastern Caribbean, broke into the British Chart in early 1975 and Susan was called by the British company Magnet Records who whisked her away and installed her in a luxury hotel in London. Two days later she made her first professional appearance on the BBC’s “Top of the Pops” weekly record chart show after which the single soared onto the top 30. Susan continued to appear on “Top of the Pops’ did extensive European radio and television appearances and received abundant press exposure. So began her foray into the frenetic and exacting world of show-biz.

Susan was eventually signed by Magnet Records, who had the legal rights to Hurt So Good and began working on her second album, Doing It Her Way, with a new producer, Peter Waterman, an undertaking that although not a great commercial success for Susan, launched Waterman’s career in the music world and he later became part of the 80’s production team Stock/Aitken/ Waterman. The single Love Me Baby made it into the top 30 riding on the success of Hurt So Good but lacked the impact of her home-town reggae sound having been recorded in London by British musicians.

Hurt So Good eventually peaked at #4 in the BBC Chart earning a Silver Disc in the United Kingdom, and at #1 in South Africa earning a Gold Disc which Susan never received as she refused to go there because of the apartheid regime. She continued doing shows throughout Europe and settled down in London doing nightly Cabaret. She returned home to Jamaica after almost one year.

Back in Jamaica, after her Magnet contract expired, Susan recorded the singles Piece of my Heart, Tracks Of My Tears, and Don’t Know Why for Producer Owen ”OB” Brown and was named Female Artiste of the Year in 1981 by JBC Radio One. Piece of my Heart peaked at #2 on the local charts. Susan appeared on several stage shows working with Fab. Five and Sagittarius Band among others, doing shows at Skateland, Fort Clarence Beach, Little Theater, the then Jonkanoo Lounge, and Shaw Park Hotel. She appeared on some television shows including Alphonso Walker’s “Where It’s At”.

Fellow artiste Ruddy Thomas introduced her to U.K. based producer Roy “Hawkeye” Forbes-Allen and she became hopeful again of another chance at further success. Susan recorded seven tracks for Hawkeye including three duets with Ruddy Thomas. The single You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good topped the London Black Chart for 8 weeks earning them an award for reggae record of the year and broke into the BBC Chart.

During these years, Susan had continued her job at the University Library but resigned for the third time to pursue her career as a singer. With the help of her brother, Paul and lawyer friend, Winston Walters, the album Chemistry Of Love was produced and several singles released in Jamaica on the Mint Label. Close friends, recording engineer Noel Hearne and members of the band Chalice played major roles in the completion of the album.

She recorded the album Soulful Reggae for London-based Ariwa Records and it was released in 1992. The needed boost to her career did not materialize. Susan toured Europe for a while with Mad Professor and his band The Robotics and after six months she returned to Jamaica.

In 1998, Susan was lured back into the recording studio by Ruddy Thomas and the album Stealing Love was recorded for Bruce White of British-based Creole Records with Thomas doing production. The album was released in early 1999 (as a combination album with solo Ruddy Thomas tracks included) on the Rhino Label and a re-recording of You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good was released as a single.

Hailed by many critics as having the sexiest voice in Reggae, in 2003 Susan released a new album “The Rhythm In You”, produced by internationally known producer and keyboardist Glen Adams, who was one of the members of the Upsetters and had worked with Susan during her Perry recording days.

In the summer of 2003 she went on a marathon 34 date European tour with New York Ska band The Slackers and Adams. She received tumultuous audience responses to her dynamic performances and beguiling vocals, the “Queen of Lover’s Rock” lived up to her “sexiest” voice reputation. One critic reviewed her performance at Dingwall’s club in London as “fantastic”. She headlined the Lover’s Rock night of the Lee “Scratch” Perry Meltdown Festival in London in June and received a standing ovation from the audience as they danced and sang along to her megahit Hurt So Good.

In 2004 Sincerely……Susan - a collection of covers of some of her favourite classic oldies, again produced by Glen Adams, augmented by three tracks from her 1992 Chemistry Of Love project was released. The early response from radio and retail was been tremendous, and the album debuted at #9 on the New York Reggae Album Chart at the end of February and climbed to the top 5.

Susan then reconnected with Neil Fraser of ARIWA and the album “Two sides of Susan” was released by JVC Japan in March of 2008 and by ARIWA in September 2008 in London and Europe. Susan and Mad Professor launched this album at the Jazz Café in London on September 27th 2008….with positive response and they then toured through New York, Boston, and Hawaii with rousing audience response also.

The single “You turn me On” penned by Susan is currently out by Ariwa and she has also recorded new versions of her classis hits “Hurt so Good”, “Fever” and “Nice and Easy” all on the ARIWA label.

Susan Cadogan is a dynamic entertainer with great stage presence who communicates with her audience in an easy, open hearted way. The unique sound and clarity of her vocals has made critics compare her ability to that of a Frank Sinatra, a Lena Horne, a Phyllis Hyman. She continues to date with her stage work and recording and with Hurt so Good, a classic in the Reggae Hall of Fame, she is known and respected throughout the industry as one of the icons in Reggae music .

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Infos:

Soundfiles: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=kXSR8aZ6l-Q
Label: Ariwa