Beres Hammond

Biography

Hugh Beresford Hammond OJ (born 28 August 1955, in Annotto Bay, Saint Mary, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae singer, known in particular for his lovers rock music. While his career began in the 1970s, he reached his greatest success in the 1990s.

Biography

Born the ninth of ten children, Hammond grew up listening to his father's collection of American soul and jazz music including Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. He was further influenced by the native music of ska and rocksteady, in particular Alton Ellis.
Hammond began participating in local talent contests from 1972 to 1973, which led to his first recording, of Ellis' "Wanderer". In 1975 he joined the band, Zap Pow, as lead singer, leading to the hit 1978 single, "The System" under the Aquarius Records label. However, he simultaneously sought a solo career, releasing his debut album, Soul Reggae×Soul Reggae1976 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1You Don't Have To Lie4:07A2Oh Take Me Girl3:02A3My Whole World2:50A4Don't Wait To Long3:54A5Somebody Lied3:37B1Is This The Right Thing5:31B2I'll Never Change3:34B3Got To Get Away3:03B4Smile2:56B5Your Love Won't Shine4:23B6One Step Ahead, in 1976. His solo ballads "One Step Ahead" (1976) and Joe Gibbs produced "I'm in Love" (1978), were both hits in Jamaica. He left Zap Pow in 1979 to pursue his solo career, and recorded two more albums Let's Make A Song in 1980 and Red Light×Red Light1982 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Red LightA2It’s Not EasyA3Don’t Want to Lose YouA4Put You Arms Around MeB1Comin’ at YouB2Stand ByB3You Were ThereB4Irie and Mello 1981. He formed Tuesday's Children, a harmony group that toured but never recorded.
Hammond formed his own record label, Harmony House Records, in 1985 for the release of his Make a Song album, which had two Jamaican chart-toppers that were influenced by the emerging dancehall style: "Groovy Little Thing×Groovy Little Thing1999 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1She Loves Me Now4:032Lovely Day3:453Starting Over4:114Teeny Weeny Little Lovin4:155Missing You for a Mile4:116These Arms of Mine3:307If Only I Knew3:518Irie and Mellow3:239Stop Your Hiding3:5610Groovy Little Thing3:3111Leave It Up to Love3:5112Till You’ve Got Love4:1113Have a Nice Weekend3:5714What One Dance Can Do6:06" and "What One Dance Can Do". The latter, produced by Willie Lindo, began to break Hammond into the international market. He scored another hit in 1986 with "Settling Down" on his eponymous release. He left his fame in Jamaica for New York City in 1987, after being tied up as thieves ransacked his house during a home invasion. There he recorded the Have a Nice Weekend album and the duet single "How Can We Ease the Pain" with Maxi Priest.
Hammond returned briefly to Jamaica to record Putting Up Resistance, which was significantly harder than his typical ballads, produced by Tappa Zukie, which spawned the hits "Putting Up Resistance×Putting Up Resistance1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Putting Up Resistance4:012I'm in Love3:383Give Me a Break4:034Look Fi Me Girl3:375Strange3:356Tonight Is the Night3:417On the Dance Floor3:548Love on the Wire3:359Only the Lonely3:5910Give Thanks in Morning4:1711Heroes Die Young4:1312Distress4:11" and "Strange". He signed with Penthouse Records in 1990 and returned to Jamaica permanently to record the dancehall smash "Tempted to Touch", with producer Donovan Germain. This is perhaps his best known song in the United States and United Kingdom, and set the foundation for the hits "Is This a Sign" and "Respect to You Baby" on the 1992 A Love Affair album. Also in 1992, Beres released the single "Fire". The song received critical acclaim within the reggae music industry and it was an extremely sought after 7" single. Now garnering interest from major studios such as Elektra Records, Hammond recorded five more albums in the 1990s as well as several compilations, establishing himself as one of the top lovers rock artists. His first album of the new millennium was 2001's Music Is Life×Music Is Life2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Ain't It Good to Know3:592They Gonna Talk3:573Wanna Cry3:504Dusty Road4:005Rock Away3:596I Love Jah3:477Dance 4 Me4:198Angel Eyes4:029Mary Mary4:0510Don't Play With My Heart3:4011Gonna Shine Again3:5312Music Is Life3:4413Tender Love3:4114Honey Wine & Love Songs3:5115Rise & Shine3:4416African People4:1817Give Me a Friend3:57, which featured an appearance by Wyclef Jean, and contributions from Earl "Chinna" Smith and Flourgon. The album spawned several hits, including "They Gonna Talk", "Rockaway" and "Ain't It Good To Know". The 2004 release Love Has No Boundaries, had guest spots by Buju Banton and Big Youth.
Hammond returned to Jamaica to perform at the Opening Ceremony for the Cricket World Cup 2007, and the next year, in 2008, he released the album A Moment in Time×A Moment in Time11 November 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1I Feel Good3:432No Goodbye4:083Picking Up the Pieces4:284Still Will Be Heaven3:555Can't Say I Never Tried4:176Friends?4:137Give It All You've Got4:018I'll Live Again5:549Talking Africa4:1910Dark Clouds4:0711I Surrender4:2912A Place For You3:5513Bring It On4:0614Body & Soul4:0015Cry No More4:0816A Moment in Time4:07, on VP Records, which featured the single "I Feel Good". After 4 years, in 2012, Hammond released the album One Love, One Life×One Love, One Life12 November 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Can't Waste No Time4:112No Candle Light5:003In My Arms3:444Crazy Dreams4:235Lonely Fellow4:066My Life4:047Keep Me Warm3:378More Time4:329Shouldn't Be4:1910The Song4:13Disc 21Still Searching3:512Don't You Feel Like Dancing4:243One Love One Life4:024Can't Make Blood Out of Stonec3:175You Stand Alone3:566Not Made of Steel4:157Family4:118Truth Will Live On4:569Prime Time3:5110I Humble Myself4:15 which topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. In 2013, Hammond was awarded the Order of Jamaica by the Jamaican government in recognition of his "exceptional and dedicated contribution to the Jamaican music industry" right before his album One Love, One Life was nominated for a Grammy Award in January 2014. Almost six years after the album One Love, One Life was released, Hammond released the album, Never Ending×Never Ending12 October 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1I'm Alive3:202Land Of Sunshine4:033I Will Take You There4:034Only One3:575My Kinda Girl4:156Sleeping Beauty4:187Hold You Till It Hurts4:038Seasons Change4:079All Love4:1410I'll Try4:0011Love Foreclosure4:2212Lose It All3:5113Survival4:1114Never Ending4:25 in October 2018, which features contributions from musicians including Errol Holt, Mafia & Fluxy, Dean Fraser, and Robbie Lyn. After its first week of release, it topped the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart.
In 2019 Beres Hammond toured the United States and Canada. The Never Ending tour started in late July in Danbury, Connecticut. It also made stops in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Newark, Huntington (New York), Richmond (Virginia), Washington D.C., Norfolk (Virginia), Charlotte (North Carolina), Atlanta, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
On 28 February 2021, Harmony House and VP Records presented Love From A Distance Live, a streaming event with guest appearances by Buju Banton, Marcia Griffiths, and Popcaan during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. The show was streamed on Hammond's Facebook page and VP Records' YouTube page, and up to 1 March, VP Records' stream was trending at number five.
On 20 August 2023, Beres Hammond was awarded with an award in recognition of his exemplary dedication and soulful musical artistry by the Jamaican Museum and Cultural Center in Atlanta, GA.