The Jamaica Observer continues its 20-part series, 20 Days of Silk, which looks at the life of roots singer Garnet Silk. Next month marks 20 years since his death.

TWO decades after the tragic loss of Garnet Silk, Courtney Coley is still haunted by memories of the singer, whose first hit song he produced in 1991.

“Even now when I hear his music, especially the ones I produced, I still get a flashback,” Cole told the Jamaica Observer.

Cole said he first met Silk in 1991 through his (Silk’s) close friend, Tony Rebel, who asked the producer ‘to help him out’. At the time, he was head of the Roof International club and record label in Ocho Rios.

He produced several of the songs that put the Manchester-born artiste on the road to stardom. They include his first hit I Can See Clearly (with Yasus Afari), Mama and Nothing Can Divide Us.

Cole added that he knew Silk was special after seeing him perform live for the first time.

“It was his performance at Epiphany Club in Kingston that sealed it for me,” he said. The show was produced by Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange.

“When Silk hit the stage, singing Mama, the place went wild, he had to do the song over and over again,” Cole recalled. “He made me feel good as a producer.”

Cole eventually produced an album, Mama, with Silk for Roof International. That set included the title song, I Can See Clearly and Nothing Can Divide Us.

By 1992, Garnet Silk was the hottest act in dancehall, recording hits for a number of top producers including Donovan Germain and Bobby Digital.

His fame was shortlived. On December 9, 1994 he and his mother, Etiga Gray, were killed in a fire at her home in Manchester. Silk was 28 years old.

“I was in Boston making my way to Rochester with Jigsy King and Tony Curtis for a show when I got the news. I felt numb and depressed,” said Cole, who visited the site of the incident when he returned to Jamaica.

Cole operates the Coconut Fun Garden, a club and bar in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth.

— Cecelia Campbell-Livingston