Junior Soul - Contributed Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
When Vallen 'Junior Soul' Smikle hits the stage at the 'Ruption in the Junction' concert in Junction, St. Elizabeth, tomorrow night, it will be the first time in three decades that he will be performing with a live band in Jamaica.
Two years ago he celebrated 40 years in show business in the Legend Theatre, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Florida.
Still, second comings on familiar territory should not be strange for a man whose voice sent Penny For Your Song to the top of the charts twice, first as a member of The Federals male trio, and then in 1977 as a solo artiste when he re-recorded it with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare at Channel One Studio.
Recorded tracks
Last year, Soul performed to recorded tracks at the Breadfruit Festival in St. Mary and was pleased with the outcome. "It was raining, it was muddy, I was surprised to see so many people in the mud," he said.
Soul counts In This World among his hits with The Federals, which included Franklyn Spence and David 'Scottie' Scott. Other songs they recorded are By the River and I've Passed This Way Before, originally done by The Temptations.
Not performing at home but counting Canada, Switzerland and England among his ports of singing call, has not been a matter of choice for Juniour Soul. "I never get a call, for Jamaica," he said. Then "It so happened you have two fine gentlemen, they have an idea they are going to put on a big show and I say that's great. And I know I am going to leave an impact on Jamaica," he said.
Making women scream has been a goal since 1967, when The Federals was formed, Junior Soul counting outings all around the island with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. There were also dates indoors at clubs such as the Glass Bucket in Half-Way Tree and the Sombrero on Molynes Road, The Vikings and Skatalites among the bands he sang with.
Of course, taking a shot at the biggest competition of the day was a must for any self-respecting group, and The Federals placed fourth in the 1969 Festival Song Competition with Wailing Festival, Toots and the Maytals winning with Sweet and Dandy. It was The Federals' swansong, as Soul migrated to the United States that same year and he said the other two went on to form the Chosen Few.
Impact
Penny For Your Song was the tune that bridged both phases of his life, and Junior Soul emphasises that when it was first recorded by The Federals he was 16 years old and "I did not know the business". As such, he says it ended up with Trojan Records in England and he had no idea of its impact until he was older and travelled there.
"It was my production and my investment, me and David Scott," Soul said. The song was recorded by Derrick Harriott with deejay U-Roy.
On resuming his music career in the U.S., Junior Soul said "I asked God what I should do to become a solo artiste. God said to me go back and do the song you have done in Jamaica." He did and once again it went to the top of the charts. "That is when the career started now with Junior Soul as a solo act," he said.
"It has been great, super great," he said of the musical journey. Among the landmarks along the way have been six solo albums, with the seventh, Juniour Soul Live at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel, about to be released.
After living in New York for 29 years, Juniour Soul moved to Los Angeles, where he hosted a weekly television show, and now lives in Florida, where he hosts a radio show on WAVES FM five times a week.
Of course, that is just a hop, skip and sprint away from Jamaica, and Junior Soul says "I would like to do more shows and more shows."
