Hortense Ellis Mix (video made by Jimmy Knuckles)
Please CLICK HERE to visit the Hortense Ellis Tribute at lastingtribute.co.ukPlease CLICK HERE to view the new "Alton & Hortense - In Loving Memory" pageSUPERSTAR
Suspicious Minds
Hortense Mahalia Ellis was born 18th April 1941 in Trench Town, Jamaica, the younger sister of the late reggae superstar Alton Ellis. Her first break came in 1960 by appearing on Vere John's Opportunity Hour - and being repeatedly invited back. In the early 60's Hortense toured Jamaica with Byron Lee and The Dragonaires while honing her skills in the studio with producers such as Ken Lack and Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. Around this time she was also recording duets with male artists such as Derrick Morgan and her brother Alton Ellis. Her best known Coxsone sides include "Sitting In The Park", "Secretly", "Cry Together", "Willow Tree" and "Why Birds Fly". Hortense went on to record with other producers including Augustus Clarke and Dudley "Manzie" Swaby and also, for a brief spell, recorded under the name Mahalia Saunders (a combination of her own middle name and her married name). Hortense also cut one side under the name Dawn Love. Aside from recording original Jamaican songs, Hortense also covered soul classics such as "Down The Aisle" (Patti Labelle), "Young Hearts Run Free" (Candy Staton) and "Loving Arms" but also recorded her own beautiful versions of Elvis Presley hits "Wooden Heart" and "Suspicious Minds".
