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. 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, in 1976. and the next year, in 2008, he released the album A Moment in Time, on VP Records, which featured the single "I Feel Good". After 4 years, in 2012, Hammond released the album One Love, One Life 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 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 February 28, 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 March 1, VP Records' stream was trending at number five.

On August 20, 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.

Discography

thumb|Beres Hammond at Toad's Place in CT on August 14, 2013

Solo albums

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; height: 10em;"

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! Year !! Album title !! Label

|-

| || Soul Reggae || Water Lily

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| || Just a Man || VP

|-

| || Let's Make a Song || Brotherhood Music Inc.

|-

| || Red Light || Heavybeat – recorded 1983

|-

| || Beres Hammond || VP

|-

| || Have A Nice Weekend || VP

|-

| || A Love Affair || Jet Star

|-

| || Full Attention || VP

|-

| || Sweetness || VP

|-

| || In Control || Elektra

|-

| || Putting Up Resistance || VP

|-

| || Lifetime Guarantee || Greensleeves

|-

| || Love from a Distance || VP

|-

| || A Day in the Life || VP

|-

| || Music Is Life || VP

|-

| || Love Has No Boundaries || VP

|-

| || A Moment in Time – with DVD || VP

|-

| || One Love, One Life || VP

|-

| || Never Ending || VP

|}

Collaborative albums

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; height: 15em;"

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! Year !! Album title !! Label

|-

| || Expression - Beres Hammond & Derrick Lara || Heartbeat

|-

| || Penthouse Flashback Series: Beres and Buju - Beres Hammond and Buju Banton|| Penthouse

|-

| || Reggae Penthouse Triplets: Beres Hammond, Sanchez and Wayne Wonder - Beres Hammond, Sanchez & Wayne Wonder|| Penthouse

|-

| || Reggae Generals: Beres Hammond & Sanchez - Beres Hammond & Sanchez|| Reggae Library

|}

Compilations

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; height: 10em;"

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! Year !! Album title !! Label

|-

| || Soul Reggae and More || Heavybeat

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| || Jet Star Reggae Max || Jet Star

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| || Beres Hammond: Collectors Series || Penthouse

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| || Beres Hammond and Friends || Ejaness

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| || Can't Stop a Man: The Best of Beres Hammond || VP

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| || Something Old Something New || Penthouse

|}

Cover versions of Beres Hammond songs

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; height: 5em;"

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! Year !! Album title !! Label

|-

| || Our Favorite Beres Hammond Songs - Various Artists || VP

|}

DVD

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; height: 5em;"

|-

! Year !! DVD title !! Label

|-

| || Beres Hammond: Music is Life – Live From New York || VP

|}

References

  • Smokeyroom's Harmony House Silekshan
  • Yahoo! Music biography