{{Short description|Jamaican reggae/dancehall duo}} '''Michigan and Smiley''' are a [[Jamaica]]n reggae/dancehall duo consisting of Papa Michigan (born Anthony Fairclough) and General Smiley (born Erroll Bennett). They rose to popularity during the first wave of [[dancehall]] music in the late 1970s.
==Career== The duo of Michigan (Anthony Fairclough) and Smiley recorded at [[Coxsone Dodd|Clement "Coxsone" Dodd]]'s [[Studio One (record label)|Studio One]] in Jamaica, pressing their first [[Record chart|number one]] [[hit single]], "Rub a Dub Style", which featured their call and response style vocals, overdubbed on the Studio One [[riddim]], "Vanity" (the instrumental alias given to [[Alton Ellis]]' Rocksteady classic, "I'm Just A Guy").<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae |year= 1998 |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-7535-0242-9 }}</ref> Their next single, perhaps a larger hit, "Nice Up the Dance" was a version of the quintessential [[Studio One (record label)|Studio 1]] rhythm, "Real Rock". These singles, with four other tracks, also versions of Studio One rhythms, were released as their first [[album]], ''Nice Up the Dance''. The names of these two singles were quickly incorporated into the [[lexicon]] of [[dancehall]] phraseology. Their call and response style was likewise influential on the future developments of the music, blending together straightforward singing styles and [[Deejay (Jamaican)|toasting]]. By 1982, they caught the attention of [[Henry "Junjo" Lawes]], who recorded their biggest hit, "Diseases" over the "Mad Mad" riddim. This track was featured on their second LP, ''Downpression''. They went on to cut an album for [[Channel One Studios|Channel One Records]], ''Step by Step''. The last of their hit records was "Sugar Daddy", pressed on [[RAS Records]], which featured yet another reworking of "Mad Mad".
Michigan & Smiley recorded a version of [[Suzanne Vega]]'s hit single "[[Tom's Diner]]" that is included on the compilation album ''[[Tom's_Diner#Remakes_and_samples|Tom's Album]]''. <ref>{{Citation|title=Tom's Album |medium=Album cover |publisher=A&M Records |year=1991 |location=Los Angeles}}</ref> The duo continue to record and make appearances at [[music festival|festivals]] and have both released solo recordings. Papa Michigan released his EP, DJ Legend, in September 2014, which served as the forerunner to his album of the same name. The project—co-produced by Flash Hit Records, Manudigital, and his own Rashanco Music label—marked a throwback to his original foundation sound. ==Discography== ===Albums=== *''Rub a Dub Style'' (1980) [[Studio One (record label)|Studio One]] *''Downpression'' (1982) [[Greensleeves Records|Greensleeves]] *''Live at Reggae Sunsplash'' (1982) [[Trojan Records|Trojan]] (with [[Eek-a-Mouse]]) *''Sugar Daddy'' (1983) [[RAS Records|RAS]] *''Back in the Biz'' (1991) [[VP Records|VP]] *''Reality Must Rule Again'' (1992) VP *''Uptown/Downtown'' (1995) VP
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Twitter}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWvanKrzxTg General Smiley & Papa Michigan - Nice Up The Dance (Ba Ba Boom Riddim)] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGs_Q6MZGsA&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9B2jyuv1botAmF17iGT9Kf1 Michigan & Smiley- Stress- Pepperseed Riddim] *Steffens, Roger "[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p29951/biography|pure_url=yes}} Michigan & Smiley Biography]", ''[[Allmusic]]'', Macrovision Corporation
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Michigan and Smiley}} [[Category:Dancehall groups]] [[Category:Reggae duos]] [[Category:VP Records artists]]