Joyce Ormela Harris: Over 50 years of sweet singing

Mar 01, 2015 News

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By Nicholas Peters

Growing up in the West Bank Demerara community of Good Hope Canal Number One, didn’t prepare Joyce Ormela Harris for the famed status she would have later in life. Despite that, the now Guyanese legend, has always recited her personal motto “Sweet is my name and singing is my game” to get her to where she is now.
Remarkably enough, it was her personal motto and family’s support that kept Harris singing and performing, resulting in her widespread recognition that has been growing for the past 50 years.
As a singer of chutney, calypso, soca and gospel, her music has reached the ears of a wide range of listeners. Given Guyana’s diverse culture, Harris has found that her success lies in her versatility as a vocalist.
Born on October 28, 1948, Joyce Harris has always maintained that she has had a spiritual disposition that has helped tremendously in her singing career.

“It (my spirituality) sinks into my singing, because I don’t write music in the conventional way. A song would come to me and I would come up with lyrics straight from my head, in the moment.” She counts it as a blessing that has propelled many great moments in her life.
SPIRITUAL GIFT
“I’ve got the spiritual thing in me and the voice to go with it! People say I am gifted,” mused Harris.
While she says her spiritual gift has always been with her since birth, Harris credits her vocal talent to her mother. The singer regaled tales of her mother’s voice, saying that she was her biggest inspiration. Even when Harris could not continue her formal education both her parents continued to support their daughter’s voice the best way they could have.
Although her education was discontinued, the ardent singer still made appearances at the community school as the feature performer. Moreover, her dynamic voice started to be heard outside school corridors, and more people sought to hire her for personal events.
“I would go to school concerts, wedding houses and village shows. They would all call me to perform!” related Harris, “and as I gained more exposure, I started to sing on the radio and the TV.”
It was from there that a young star had essentially been born, and as Harris grew into adulthood her reputation grew with her.
She first hit it big with her song “Taxi Driver” which was based off her husband, who was in fact in that line of business. The song was released in 1964, and was received with open arms as a Guyanese classic. To this day it can be heard on radio programmes, parties and wedding houses.

“A lot of people know me for that song and they say it never gets old,” Harris reflected. She says that so many people have asked her to sing “Taxi Driver” that at this point it’s become a bit disconcerting.
But just because Harris was known nationally for her voice it did not mean that she thought her life exceptionally glamorous. She considered her life in Guyana quite “ordinary” as she worked as a police officer at Eve Leary.
NEW YORK CITY
That ordinary life began to change when she left Guyana in 1980, for the Big Apple itself – New York City.
In relating that new period of her life, Harris said that every experience there was new to her, but in many aspects there were similarities. While she was recognized in Guyana, it was nowhere near the same recognition she received in New York.
Due to the huge influx of Guyanese to that part of the world, the once local celebrity found that she had a level of “international appeal” she had no idea existed. Harris would perform at special events for people in the diaspora, but her reach was now greater.
“Over there has the whole world of people, which gave me even more exposure,” explained the performer, “I believe that I drew the crowds because of my background. Being mixed race and being Guyanese with a range of song styles, gave me wide appeal, so I was able to attract people from all over the place.”
Her level of recognition even reached as far as India. One time, after performing at an event, Harris said that she noticed a man following her wherever she went. The man annoyed her so much that yelled at him “Why are you following me!”
It turns out that the man was an Indian national who had heard Harris was performing and went around, with one of the singer’s albums, asking where he could find her. When he finally saw the celebrity, he could not believe she was the person he had imagined, and was nervous to approach her.
After her outburst, one of Harris’s friends explained to her the man’s situation. The incident astonished her so much, that the singer felt ashamed of her actions and apologised profusely to her fan.
But while Harris was adored by fans, fame did not provide the comfort she left back in Guyana. When the local celebrity left home, she also left her four children behind.
In that time Harris committed herself to her work and craft, so that she could at least provide financial support for her children, if not be there for them.

She recalls that her greatest career decision was when she became a member of the Performers Right Association of England, which guaranteed that she and her estate would receive royalties for her music.
“Even when I die, my children will be taken care of,” Harris reflected.
It wasn’t until 10 years after leaving Guyana, that Harris was finally reunited with her kids. Her son Vishal Lopes-Harris brought a special type of joy to her heart when she saw him again, as he was the one to continue her legacy of singing.
Vishal was even featured a several of her tracks as he rapped along with his mother.
However, tragedy struck the famed singer when her son died not long after their reunion. Vishal’s death proved a great sorrow to overcome, that even affected her music.
“After his death, I hardly sang and it was a difficult time for all the family to cope with,” related Harris.
But as she couldn’t hold off her booking any longer, Harris returned to the stage in her classic way. Once again she performed at casinos and even made it as far as the world renowned Madison Square Garden.
Recounting, that experience Harris said it felt as if she had died and went to heaven.
“I could not believe it. I was seeing my pictures all over the city leading up to performing day. That was the first time I was truly pampered and treated like a celebrity. And the crowds there were not like the crowds back home.”
WIDELY TRAVELLED
From there Harris briefly recounted that her music career has taken her all over the Caribbean and North American region and has even led her to Europe.
Although her travels have taken her all over the world, she always manages to come back to Guyana around the Mashramani season to satisfy her homeland’s demand for her music.
Whether it’s through chutney, soca or gospel, Harris continues to charm her audiences even as many of her performing colleagues are now deceased.
As the self-proclaimed queen of chutney/soca and one of the oldest Guyanese entertainers, Harris vows that she “will continue to perform and sing still my time comes”.
“Most of the singers and big time promoters have died, but I will keep singing till I can’t sing no more,” the regal singer promised.
So fans can expect from that famous singer of the songs ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Benjie Darling’, ‘Nanie Wine’ and so many of those Guyanese classics.

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