33:
245:, topped the British reggae charts in 1990. The 1988 British Reggae Industry Awards ceremony saw Kofi winning the awards for "Best Female Vocalist" and reaching number one with the songs "Didn't I" and "Black Pride". Kofi went on to achieve further awards in 1989, establishing her status as one of the queens of Lovers rock.
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and
Pauline Catlin). The trio enjoyed unprecedented success, topping the UK reggae charts on three occasions. Brown Sugar's first chart-topper in 1977, "I'm in Love With a Dreadlocks", was also the first release on the new Lover's Rock record label formed by Dennis Harris,
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and soul emanating from the family home, Simms' love of music was enhanced, and after a brief flirtation with acting during which she attended drama school, her urge to make music began to dominate. At fourteen Simms wrote to the local newspaper, the
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In 2010 Kofi took up residency in
Barbados performing various music styles to meet audience expectations at many hotels and locations around the island. 2012 saw her not only working with new producers, but also the release of a new EP,
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project was a musical tribute to some of the company's films, and as such they marked the occasion by featuring various artists to each take a famous song from one of their films and perform it in their own style. This included
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During 2016 Kofi returned to the UK for an indefinite period to complete work on a new album and a number of singles which will reflect her various musical styles with songs in the Soul/R&B, Reggae and Jazz genres.
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206:. The record label title became the adopted definition for the genre of music. Simms and Wheeler were re-united briefly in October 2005 at the Metropolitan Black Police Association's annual gala at
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Kofi had been asked crossover into the soul/R&B market and she began to write some of her own work directly aimed at that genre of music. The opportunity arose through association with
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had engaged Jazzie B to establish a subsidiary label, Funki Dreds to which he was to find and sign artists in the UK; Kofi was signed to the new label and featured on the 1992
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233:", "I'm in Love With a Dreadlocks" and "Black Pride", with new songs such as "Didn't I" (on which Kofi also played bass guitar), "Looking Over Love", and with a version of
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537:, "Jewels Brought From Bondage: Black Music and the Politics of Authenticity" in Bennett, Andy; Shank, Barry; & Toynbee, Jason (2005),
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Kofi performed as the closing act at The Giants of Lovers Rock event in 2012 alongside solo shows. The following year, appeared alongside
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1990 Entertainments
Enterprise Annual Celebrity Awards "Best Female Singer" – for outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry
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Following the demise of Brown Sugar in the mid-1980s, Simms, under the moniker of Kofi, embarked on a solo career, initially with
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166:, South London, the third youngest of six children. With her Church Of God upbringing, and with the sound of everything from
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During her time with Motown, Kofi was commissioned to work for a musical project put together by Disney/Buena Vista. The
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268:" and "Future". The only single release by Kofi during this period was in 1992 with the song "Step By Step".
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at the
Barbados Reggae Festival and also appeared at the St Lucia Jazz Festival in the same year.
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Simms first found success as a member of the Lovers rock trio Brown Sugar (which also featured
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237:' "I'm Still in Love with You", a duet with John McLean. "Proud of Mandela", a version of
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label. She had hits on the
British reggae charts with the reworking of Brown Sugar songs "
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311:. As well as the inclusion of songs on a number of compilation albums, in 2008 the album
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1989 BRIA award for reaching number 1 with "Dread A Who She Love" and "Proud of
Mandela"
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1988 BRIA award for reaching number 1 with "Didn't I" and "Black Pride"
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Simply Mad About the Mouse: A Musical
Celebration of Imagination
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mood and sharing the album with established reggae artists:
294:. Kofi's contribution to the project was her rendition of "
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1989 Jamaica
Gleaner Awards "Best British Female Singer"
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Live at The Giants of Lovers Rock event
October 2012
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307:Kofi went on to work more closely with producers
559:Discogs: Soul II Soul – Volume III Just Right
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693:Musicians from the London Borough of Lambeth
708:Singers from the London Borough of Lambeth
496:Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004),
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673:21st-century Black British women singers
668:20th-century Black British women singers
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455:2011 HiCrEc Award "Best Female Vocalist"
421:(2008, Cousins; 2012, Mafia & Fluxy)
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241:' "I'm So Proud", a collaboration with
440:1988 BRIA award "Best Female Vocalist"
154:prior to embarking on a solo career.
150:singer who was a member of the group
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603:And now... The Story Of Lovers' Rock
452:2009 BRIA "Reggae Achievement Award"
262:Soul II Soul Volume III – Just Right
498:The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.
225:and releasing three albums on his
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477:The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae
539:The Popular Music Studies Reader
584:Disney Hopes 'Mouse' Will Roar"
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315:was released. The 2011 album
571:Discogs: Kofi – Step By Step
89:Singer, songwriter, musician
688:Brown Sugar (group) members
625:film, 2011, 27 August 2012.
611:, retrieved 27 August 2012.
592:, retrieved 28 August 2012.
573:, retrieved 28 August 2012.
561:, retrieved 28 August 2012.
58:1961 (age 62–63)
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541:, 3rd edition, Routledge,
525:, retrieved 22 April 2011.
162:Simms was born in 1961 in
16:British lovers rock singer
319:showcased Kofi in a more
110:, Cousins, Koffe an Kreem
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678:English reggae musicians
658:British reggae musicians
622:The Story of Lovers Rock
601:Abbott, Dianne (2011), "
582:Cerone, Daniel (1991), "
349:The Story of Lovers Rock
347:. During 2011, the film
264:album with the tracks "
713:British reggae singers
475:Larkin, Colin (1998),
367:was also re-released.
361:Sweetness & Thanks
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40:Background information
663:Lovers rock musicians
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698:People from Lambeth
266:Move Me No Mountain
401:Black...With Sugar
317:Kofi & Friends
301:The Little Mermaid
219:
182:South London Press
142:, better known as
589:Los Angeles Times
547:978-0-415-30710-9
419:Rocking Eternally
365:Rocking Eternally
313:Rocking Eternally
309:Mafia & Fluxy
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325:Freddie McGregor
298:" from the film
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427:(2011, Cousins)
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353:Menelik Shabazz
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239:The Impressions
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146:, is a British
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61:Lambeth, London
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258:Motown Records
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407:Wishing Well
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333:Michael Rose
321:roots reggae
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254:Soul II Soul
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208:The Barbican
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124:koffeankreem
99:1976–present
95:Years active
18:
703:1961 births
390:Discography
284:Gipsy Kings
235:Alton Ellis
227:Ariwa Sound
210:in London.
200:John Kpiaye
152:Brown Sugar
148:lovers rock
140:Carol Simms
72:Lovers rock
50:Carol Simms
652:Categories
460:References
292:Billy Joel
158:Early life
46:Birth name
549:, p. 183.
508:, p. 398.
376:John Holt
280:LL Cool J
63:, England
643:Facebook
523:Allmusic
250:Jazzie B
78:, soul,
372:Sanchez
329:Luciano
243:Macka B
164:Lambeth
119:Website
80:R&B
545:
504:
483:
432:Awards
395:Albums
172:reggae
104:Labels
76:reggae
68:Genres
128:/kofi
108:Ariwa
639:Kofi
543:ISBN
502:ISBN
481:ISBN
378:and
343:and
290:and
202:and
176:jazz
144:Kofi
126:.com
55:Born
25:Kofi
641:on
605:",
521:",
252:of
168:ska
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468:^
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