Michelle
Lovella Ellis, born in south London to Jamaican parents Sigma Ellis wife of legendary Studio One/Treasure Isle recording artist Alton Ellis OD, and niece of Hortense Ellis..
Alton Ellis was born on 1 September, 1938 in Kingston’s Trench Town district in Jamaica to a musical family. Initially he wanted to be a dancer but switched to singing after winning some competitions.
His first big hit was Muriel, recorded with Eddy Perkins, after they formed a duo, Alton & Eddy, in 1959.Over the next decade he was to notch up more hits, teaming up with the vocal group The Flames.
His brother Leslie was in the line-up and their most popular songs included Girl I’ve Got a Date, Cry Tough and Get Ready – Rock Steady – the first song to refer to the new style of music coming out of Jamaica in the mid ’60.
Lovella has been singing from the age of 14 behind closed doors, as she wouldn’t let anyone hear her to due to shyness, if you caught her singing she would stop. Her parents would always asked her’ lovella why you stop singing’ looking very disappointed and wanting to hear more .
At 16 Lovella formed a group called ‘ladies with vibes’ to enter a competition which was her first ever performance, they won £250.
Lovella first went into the studio in 1998 with Jaycee Thompson of MFW Ent. to record some original tracks and also covers of her father songs in R n B, such as’ I’m still in love’, ‘breaking up,’ and’ you make me so happy.
In 2004 Lovella recorded ‘Magic feeling’ with her brother Christopher Ellis.
Lovella Ellis & J Thompson wrote “You blow my mind” which was then produced by her father Alton Ellis in 2006. The said song was released on the Alton Record lable.
In 2007 Lovella Ellis moved the crowd with her beautiful voice at the Jazz cafe, it was the first time Alton and his 2 youngest children Chris & Lovella was on stage together, this was memorable day. Sadly it was also to be the last.
Alton Ellis died with only family at his bed side as he took his last breath on 10 October 2008 at 2:45am.”My dad was a loving father and a humble man” says Lovella, “I will always love you dad, I think of you every day R.I.P”
