Erroll Starr
{{short description|Canadian rhythm and blues singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Erroll Starr
| birth_place = Jamaica
| genre = Rhythm and Blues, Reggae, and Country
| label = A&M Records (1986–87), Asoma Records (1994)
| associated_acts = Harbinger, North Starr
| occupation = Musician
}}
Erroll Starr Francis is a Canadian rhythm and blues singer."Starr shines with something for all". Hamilton Spectator, July 21, 1994. He is most noted for winning the Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year in 1989 for his single "Angel"."Blue Rodeo ropes two Junos And k.d. lang makes it four big ones for the country folks". Toronto Star, March 13, 1989.
Early Life
Originally from Jamaica, Starr's family emigrated to the United Kingdom when he was two years old, after which they moved to Canada and settled in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-10 |title=LOCAL DOCUMENTARY SHARES ERROLL STARR’S STORY – The Community Edition |url=https://www.communityedition.ca/local-documentary-shares-erroll-starrs-story/ |access-date=2025-02-25 |language=en-US}} Starr began his musical journey when his father bought him his first guitar. He then began playing as a guitarist in his father's band. As a teenager, he obtained special permission from the LCBO to play as a minor in bars and clubs.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcyls1HEJRg |title=Temple of Love: The Erroll Starr Story |date=2024-12-17 |last=Digital Sabbath Film Company |access-date=2025-02-25 |via=YouTube}} His father was a reggae musician with the band People's Choice."Juno nominee has spiritual base for his songs". Ottawa Citizen, September 18, 1987.
Musical career
Starr built his early music career in Toronto, where concurrently with performing as an R&B singer he was also the front man of the rock band Harbinger.
He released the singles "Holding Out for You", "The Key" and "For the Love of Money" in 1986 and 1987, before releasing his debut album Temple of Love on A&M Records in 1987."Erroll's rising star glows at classy coming-out party". Toronto Star, August 4, 1987. In 1987, he also participated in the recording of a Christmas charity single, "A Christmas Wish", with a lineup of Toronto-area performers that also included Billy Newton-Davis, Kim Richardson, Frozen Ghost, Prairie Oyster, Messenjah, The Pursuit of Happiness, Salome Bey, Zappacosta, Arlene Duncan and Lorraine Scott."Musicians rally to record Christmas song". Toronto Star, November 10, 1987.
He received his first Juno Award nomination in 1986 for "The Key","Juno nominations list contains many faces that are familiar". The Globe and Mail, September 9, 1986. and his second in 1987 for "For the Love of Money","Juno Awards: the complete list of nominees". Vancouver Sun, September 15, 1987. and won the award for Best Male Artist at the Black Music Association of Canada awards in 1987."Black singers win awards", Vancouver Sun, May 16, 1987. However, he was one of a number of Black Canadian musicians who faced heavy resistance from Canadian radio programmers in this era, and A&M did not renew his contract for another album.
In the early 1990s he moved to Hamilton, working as a record producer and recording music for film, television and commercials. During this era he formed a country music duo, North Starr, with colleague Mike Northcott, and released his second album, From the Inside Out, on the independent label Asoma Records in 1994.
He has continued to perform occasional live appearances at public events."Celebrating our cultural differences: World Day for Cultural Diversity marked at city hall". Hamilton Spectator, May 22, 2014.
In 2024, Starr told his story in the Digital Sabbath Film Company short film, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcyls1HEJRg Temple of Love: The Errol Starr Story]
Personal life
In the early 2000s, he and his family moved to Killaloe, where they built an environmentally sustainable off-the-grid home in the Earthship style."Earthship grounded". Ottawa Citizen, June 20, 2010.
His niece, Tasha Schumann, is a rapper who performs under the stage name Tasha the Amazon."Tasha the Amazon standing tall". Waterloo Region Record, April 6, 2017.
References
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Starr, Erroll}}
Category:Canadian rhythm and blues singers
Category:20th-century Black Canadian male singers
Category:20th-century Canadian male singers
Category:Jamaican emigrants to Canada
Category:Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year winners