Jon Lucien
{{Short description|British Virgin Islander musical artist (1942–2007)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jon Lucien
| image = Jon Lucien.jpg
| caption = Lucien in 1991
| birth_name = Lucien Leopold Harrigan
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|1|8}}
| birth_place = Tortola, British Virgin Islands
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|8|18|1942|1|8}}
| death_place =Orlando, Florida
| genre = Soul, soul jazz, funk, R&B
| occupation = Singer
| years_active =1960s–2000s
| label =RCA Victor, Columbia, Mercury, Shanachie, Sugar Apple Music
| website = {{URL|jonlucien.com}}
}}
Lucien Leopold Harrigan (January 8, 1942 – August 18, 2007), known professionally as Jon Lucien, was a singer from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
Life and career
Born in Tortola in 1942, Lucien was raised in St. Thomas. His parents were Eric "Rico" Lucien Harrigan and Eloise Turnbull Harrigan. His father was a musician whose main instrument was a three-coursed Latin guitar-like chordophone known as a Tres.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLPrMMKmynwC&dq=eric+harrigan+st+thomas+virgin+islands&pg=PA266|title = Notable Caribbeans and Caribbean Americans: A Biographical Dictionary|isbn = 9780313314438|last1 = Méndez-Méndez|first1 = Serafin|last2 = Mendez|first2 = Serafín Mendez|last3 = Cueto|first3 = Gail|last4 = Deynes|first4 = Neysa Rodríguez|year = 2003| publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }} As a teenager, he played bass in his father's band. During the 1960s he moved to New York City.{{cite web |last1=Ankeny1 |first1=Jason |title=Jon Lucien |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jon-lucien-mn0000254535/biography |access-date=15 May 2021 |website=AllMusic}} While performing at a party, he was discovered by an executive from RCA Records, which released his debut album (I Am Now, 1970) of pop and jazz standards. Lucien said the label attempted to market him as a "black Sinatra". His second album, Rashida, contained only songs written by Lucien, with "Lady Love" receiving radio airplay. Dave Grusin received a Grammy Award nomination for his arrangements.{{Cite web |title=Soulful Jazz Singer Jon Lucien Dies |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2007/08/21/soulful-jazz-singer-jon-lucien-dies/61732207007/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}} He recorded two albums for Columbia before making guest appearances on Yesterday's Dreams by Alphonso Johnson and Mr. Gone by Weather Report.{{Cite web |title=Jon Lucien |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/9865-Jon-Lucien |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Discogs |language=en}}
In 1980, Lucien's daughter drowned, and he spent much of the decade struggling with drug addiction.{{Cite web |date=2007-10-03 |title=Obituary: Jon Lucien |url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/oct/04/guardianobituaries.obituaries2 |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} He returned to music with the albums Listen Love (Mercury, 1991) and Mother Nature's Son (Mercury, 1993). Another daughter died in the crash of TWA Flight 800,{{Cite web |date=2007-08-21 |title=Jon Lucien, jazz singer: 65 |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/08/21/jon_lucien_jazz_singer_65.html |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=thestar.com |language=en}} and Lucien dedicated his album Endless Is Love (1997) to her.
He died of respiratory failure in Orlando, Florida, on August 18, 2007.{{Cite news |last=Sisario |first=Ben |date=2007-08-22 |title=Jon Lucien, Smooth Singer of Mellow Jazz and Soul, Dies at 65 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/22/arts/music/22lucien.html |access-date=2022-08-22 |issn=0362-4331}}
Discography
- I Am Now (RCA Victor, 1970)
- Rashida (RCA Victor, 1973)
- Mind's Eye (RCA Victor, 1974)
- Song for My Lady (Columbia, 1975)
- Premonition (Columbia, 1976)
- Romantico (Precision, 1980)
- Inside Moves (Elektra,1984)
- Listen Love (Mercury, 1991)
- Mother Nature's Son (Mercury, 1993)
- Endless Is Love (Shanachie, 1997)
- By Request (Shanachie, 1999)
- Precious Is Love (Love Arts, 1999)
- Man from Paradise (Sugar Apple Music, 2002)
- Live in NYC (Sugar Apple Music, 2003)
- A Time for Love (Sugar Apple Music, 2004)
- The Wayfarer (Sugar Apple Music, 2008)
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- Notable Caribbeans and Caribbean Americans: A Biographical Dictionary, by Serafín Méndez-Méndez and Gail A. Cueto. Greenwood Press, 2003. {{ISBN|0-313-31443-8}}
External links
- [https://www.soultracks.com/story-jon_lucien Jon Lucien Dies at age 65]
- [http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Jon%20Lucien.html John Lucien Page]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070915035825/http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/22/music/main3193586.shtml Jazz Singer Jon Lucien Dies At 65, Baritone Was Known For Soulful, Sultry Ballads - The ShowBuzz]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucien, Jon}}
Category:People from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:20th-century British musicians
Category:American jazz singers
Category:British Virgin Islands emigrants to the United States
Category:British Virgin Islands musicians
Category:British Virgin Islands singers