Marcia Llyneth Griffiths was born on November 23, 1949, to Joseph and Beatrice Griffiths. Hailing from West Kingston, Marcia considered her upbringing glorious amongst her loving family.
As a teenager, Griffiths attended Kingston Senior School and was a zealous member of her church choir, school concert and plays. She loved to hang out and sing with friends. It was during one such nightly excursion, that the fifteen-year-old managed to get herself discovered.Philip “Boasie” James, lead singer of the Blues Busters vocal duo was visiting his girlfriend, who lived next door to Marcia; and heard this lovely voice floating through the air. He could not believe his ears, and subsequently took Marcia straight away to Byron Lee and insisted that this songbird be included on the upcoming talent show to be held at the Carib Theatre in Kingston. Marcia remembers that Byron was upset with “Boasie” for coming to interrupt his well-planned program schedule and insisting that this "nobody" go on his show.
Marcia performed a Carla Thomas original, “No Time to Lose” to a phenomenal response from the audience. They demanded an encore, but she had only rehearsed one song with the band.
The attention Marcia received after her debut was overwhelming. Everyone wanted to manage her, including Byron Lee’s manager Ronnie Nasralla. That same night he took her to the studios of JBC where Marcia made her first television debut. All in one day, Griffiths had all the ingredients of an overnight success.
In a career spanning 40 years, she hits high points internationally as a soloist and as a duo with Bob Andy, as Bob and Marcia.
Griffiths said, “I started singing professionally as a vocalist in 1964, for Byron Lee and the Dragonaires band.” Her recording years started soon after, at Coxsone Dodd - Studio One where she recorded her first hit “Feel Like Jumping."
Ten years after entering the music business, Marcia united with Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley to form the I-Threes as an important part of the Bob Marley entourage. “Words are not enough to express my experience with the I-Threes and Bob Marley and the Wailers”, says Griffiths. “What a blessing to be so privileged....to have shared this experience”.
Marcia gained solo international recognition with her monster hit “Electric Boogie.” This song was first recorded in 1982 and went to the #1 spot on the Jamaican charts. Sales continued over the years and in 1989, a Washington, DC Disc Jockey started playing it regularly and in no time, it caught on and hit the station’s regular rotation list.
A new dance, the Electric Slide, was created from the “Electric Boogie” song and as a result, sales soared. The “Electric Slide” became popular all over the US. The song and dance were featured on the Oprah Winfrey and Phil Donahue shows.
The driving force for the Reggae Empress is fuelled by her inner desire to serve the people of the world with sweet reggae music. Griffiths has said, “Music alone shall live, and it’s not only for the money, but the satisfaction I get from doing the work that I love, that is what really keeps me going every day”.
The rest is history for the girl who became first the queen, matriarch and Empress of Reggae Music.
