Garnet Silk "Garnet Damion Smith"celebration -Aaron&Family

Garnet Silk, born Garnet Damion Smith in Jamaica, he became one of reggae's most promising cultural artists. His first major hit "Hello Africa".Drawing inspiration from the Bob Marley and Burning Spear he started his recording career in 1985. It was actually dub poet Yasus Afari who hooked up Garnet with Delroy "Callo" Collins who produced his first single, "Problem Everywhere".

Comparisons were inevitable drawn with the late Bob Marley, and some even called him "the next Bob Marley," but Garnet Silk was the first to shun the title. "I see Bob as the king of Reggae and a brother," Garnet said in a January 1994 Reggae Report interview. "Bob has done his work and now Jah appoints me to do mine, just like Bob."

Garnet’s final performance was at the Mirage nightclub in Kingston, he was part of Richie Stephens’ birthday celebration on the Tuesday night before the tragedy took place. Garnet  left to see his mother and from this point there's no-one to tell exactly what happened on that night as all the survivors were sleeping and woke up only with the explosion  at his mother’s  house around midnight. It is told that a friend was showing Garnet how to use a shotgun when it accidentally went off, striking a nearby cooking gas cylinder. That night, the errant gun blast ignited the gas cylinder, effectively giving rise to a lethal blowtorch. Garnet Silk, his two brothers and two friends managed to escape. However, when Garnet realized his mother was still trapped inside, he re-entered the inferno. Neither of them survived. Although sorely missed Garnet Silk will live forever through his music and message!

Adapted-: Teacher & Mr. T. (20-12-2000) Sources: "The Rough Guide To Reggae", "The Virgin Encyclopedia Of Reggae" & "Atlantic Records' Release Info"