Rex Lawson
{{Short description|Nigerian high life musician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rex Lawson
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Erekeosima Lawson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1938|3|4}}
| birth_place = Buguma, British Nigeria{{cite web| url = http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2018/01/19/tribute-to-rex-lawson/| title = Tribute to Rex Lawson|last=Manuel|first=Bob| date = 19 January 2018| website = The Tide News Online}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1971|1|16|1938|3|4}}
| death_place = Asaba-Benin Road, Nigeria
| nationality = Nigerian
| other_names = Pastor Rex Lawson, Cardinal Rex Lawson
| alma_mater =
| known_for =
| spouse = Regina Rex Lawson
| notable_works =
| website =
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| background = solo_singer
| origin =
| alias =
| genre = highlife
| instrument = Trumpet and saxophone
| years_active = Late 1950s – Early 1970s
| label =
| occupation = Composer, singer
| associated_acts = Victor Olaiya, Bobby Benson
| notable_instruments =
}}
}}
Rex Jim Lawson (4 March 1938 – 16 January 1971), known as Cardinal Rex, was a singer, trumpeter and bandleader from Buguma in present Rivers State, Nigeria. He became one of the best-known highlife musicians of the 1960s in Africa when Cardinal and his band dominated Nigeria's highlife scene.
Early life
Rex Lawson was born in 1938 in Buguma, Nigeria to a Kalabari chieftain father and an Igbo mother from Owerri. He was given the name Erekeosima which translates to "do not name this one" due to his father's belief that he would not live past infancy.{{Cite web|url=https://guardian.ng/art/revue/cardinal-jim-rex-lawson-49-years-of-enduring-legacy/|title=Cardinal Jim Rex Lawson: 49 years of enduring legacy|website=Guardian.ng|date=26 January 2020|access-date=25 September 2021}} He was the fourth child to his parents, the others having died of illnesses. At a young age, Lawson was afflicted with a severe case of small pox. While his mother brought him to various medicine men outside of Kalabari for treatment, his father feared he would die and lost interest in raising him. Lawson later sued his father for neglect while he was at school. He won the case, but his father cursed him in return, and the two did not communicate with one another until Lawson began his musical career.{{sfn|Oti|2009|p=166}}
Musical career
Rex Lawson began his career in Port Harcourt as a bandboy for Lord Eddyson's Starlight Melody Orchestra. He later played with Sammy Obot, Bobby Benson, Victor Olaiya, Chris Ajilo, and other Ghanaian and Nigerian musicians and bands. His greatest success came as the leader of the Majors Band (also called the Rivers Men in later years); their recorded hits include "So ala teme", "Yellow Sisi", "Gowon Special", and "Jolly Papa".
By 1965 Lawson had written more than 100 songs. In July 1970 he traveled to the United Kingdom, where from then until September he recorded an album, Rex Lawson in London.
Style and musical themes
A highly emotional and deep musician, Lawson was known to weep and shed tears while singing his own songs on stage, notably the haunting "So ala teme". The late Sir Maliki Showman, the Nigerian tenor saxophonist who played with Rex Lawson, Bobby Benson and Victor Uwaifo, remembers Lawson as always placing music over money. Lawson is famed for his infectious gregariousness, his musical vision, talent, perseverance and individuality.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/303599-Rex-Jim-Lawson|title=Rex Jim Lawson|website=Discogs.com|access-date=25 September 2021}} He was able to sing in many different languages and dialects such as Kalabari, Nembe, Ijaw(Izon), Igbo, Urhobo, Ibibio, Efik and those of Cameroon and Ghana.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2018/01/19/tribute-to-rex-lawson/|title=Tribute To Rex Lawson|website=Thetidenewsonline.com|access-date=25 September 2021}}
In most Highlife bands, the trumpet often played a leading role in the music that they played. Lawson broke from this trend by frequently featuring alto saxophone solos in his songs.
Death
Lawson died on 16 January 1971 in a car accident at the Urhamigbe corner on the Asaba–Benin Road while on his way to Warri, Nigeria, for a performance.{{cite web| url = http://thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2017/05/rex-lawson-the-highlife-legend/| title = Rex Lawson: The Highlife Legend| last = Ayorinde| first = Steve| date = 27 May 2017| website = The NEWS| publisher = Independent Communications Network Limited | access-date = 21 August 2018}} He was 32 years old. After his death, his band continued as the Professional Seagulls.Collins (1985), p. 51. Lawson was married to Chief (Mrs.) Regina Rex Lawson who died in October 2008.{{cite news|title=PMAN mourns death of Rex-Lawson's wife|url=http://www.nigeriafilms.com/content.asp?contentid=3373&ContentTypeID=2|newspaper=NigeriaFilms.com|date=25 October 2008}}
Discography
;Albums
- Abari Biya (as Rex Lawson)
- Bere Bote (as Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson)
- Owuna Derina (as Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson)
- Nume Inye (as Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson)
;Contributing artist
- The Rough Guide to Highlife (2003, World Music Network)
Legacy
His music is loved to this day in Nigeria. His songs are regularly performed and danced at live band shows in Nigeria, and a number of young musicians have remixed some of his old hits, and his relevance continues to be felt. His most popular songs were "Love Adure" and "Sawale". The single "Sawale" was a hit all over Africa and has been remixed in various Africa countries like Ethiopia.
His single "Sawale" was remixed by Flavour N'abania to make the popular hit song, "Nwa Baby (Ashawo)".
In honor of his musical achievements, the Rivers State Government named a street after Lawson in the neighborhood of Borokiri in Port Harcourt.
On Saturday, June 2018 Rivers State Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi commissioned the Rex Lawson Cultural Center in Port Harcourt.{{Cite web |title=Rivers Unveils Ultra-modern Rex Lawson Cultural Centre - THISDAYLIVE |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/06/03/rivers-unveils-ultra-modern-rex-lawson-cultural-centre?amp_gsa=1 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=www.thisdaylive.com}}
Documentary
In 2018, Beautiful Nubia, Nigeria's foremost contemporary folk and roots musician, released on YouTube, a documentary - "Unworthy of a Name" - detailing Rex Lawson's life and times.
Citations
{{reflist}}
References
- {{cite book|last= Collins|first= John|title=Musicmakers of West Africa|year=1985|publisher=Three Continents Press|isbn=0-89410-075-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yIHfybGz5HoC}}
- {{cite book| last = Oti| first = Sonny| title = Highlife Music in West Africa: Down Memory Lane| publisher = African Books Collective| date = 2009| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=0ysJlY9Z9uAC| isbn = 9789788422082}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPiXYIoBmqs&t=903s Unworthy of a Name - The Story of Rex Lawson]
- [http://www.onlinenigeria.com/music/Rex%20lawson/ Rex Lawson, Listen to Rex Lawson's music Online]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312054111/http://people.africadatabase.org/en/person/11335.html Rex Lawson, Contemporary Africa Database] – gives date of death as 1976
- {{cite web|title=Remembering Rex Lawson|url=http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com//rarticles/remembering_rex_lawson.htm|publisher=Niger Delta Congress|author=Sonhala Olumnese|date=March 2003}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawson, Rex}}
Category:Musicians from Rivers State
Category:Nigerian highlife musicians