Eric Minns

| BIO | Music | Picture/Press Gallery | Contact

BIO

Photo courstesy of Mary Cook
Eric Minns was born in Nassau, Bahamas. He started a show-business career as half of the comedy team BILL and SAM, which played most of the local nightspots at the time. Branching out as a musician-singer he started writing songs, mainly with other singers in mind, though he has recorded some of his own songs.

Eric’s first hit song in the Bahamas was King Eric and His Knights’ recording of FOX-HILL GAL, which came out of the admiration that both Erics had for each other. It became an instant hit and won 3 Thimothy Awards in 1976, for best calypso song, calypso group, and song writer.
Sir Clement Maynard, Former Minister of Tourism wrote the following foreword for Eric Minn’s Song book:
“Mr. Minns comes from a well-known island family whose roots and heritage are deep in the Bahamian tradition of cultural activity. His melodic songs will tell you more about The Bahamas than many a travel guide.
In listening to and enjoying his songs, I have found him to possess unusual ability to create both past and present Bahamian experiences quite vividly. Eric has done much to capture the spirit of The Bahamas in his songs, which fully grasp our cultural awakening. His efforts help preserve in words and music the haunting beauty of the islands and the joyous, earthy humour and naturally colourful expression of grassroot Bahamians.”

Achievements

1976 song - Fox Hill Gal (3 Timothy Awards: top calypso song, group and writer)
1977 song - Island Boy (title song from King Eric's album)
1978 song - Take the Man from Out of the Island
1979 song book - Seven Hit Songs of the Bahamas
1980 first novel - Island Boy
1981 song - If You Can't find Ya Friends In Nassau (they're in Freeport or in jail) - Sonny Johnson
1982 song - Back to the Family Islands
1983 song - Once Is Not Enough
         song - Thank Goodness It's Friday
         first album - Songs of the Bahamas
         THE BAHAMAS NATIONAL TOURISM AWARD
1984 original Bahamian musical - Island Boy
         song - Get a Taste of the Islands
1985 first play - Rev
1986 song - Headache and Flu
1987 song - I'm Coming Home for Junkanoo This Year
         second album - Christmas In the Bahamas
         BAHAMAS MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINERS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
1990 third album - Columbus Day (produced for Quincentennial Celebration for 1992)
1991 acting lessons (O'Leary School of Drama - Toronto)
1992 song - We're Gonna Go to Santo Domingo (for Quincentennial flyout to Dominican Republic)
1993 original Bahamian musical - Happy Birthday Columbus
         song - Island Boy featured in the Walt Disney movie My Father the Hero
1994 song - If You Can't Find your Friends In Nassau used in Dundas Theatre production of Susan Wallace's play Single Seven
1996 song - Buy Bahamian
1997 art exhibition of Historic Bahamian buildings in pen and ink
          song - Let's go Junkanoo
          Smithsonian recording of You Ain't Hurryin' Me - Dicey Dohs
1998 song - Pinder What ya Doin' Here - Dry Bread
1999 second printing - novel - Island Boy
2000 Barabas features Fox Hill Gal in New Years Junkanoo parade
2001 song - Ol' Sayings - Ronnie Butler
2002 Released CD (21 Bahamian Calypso Classics) Words & Music by Eric Minns
2003 Inducted into Love 97 FM Radio's Hall of Fame. see photos
         songs - "Sunday Christian" and "How Junkanoo Began"
         pen and ink drawing of St-Matthews Anglican Church, used as artwork for "First Day Cover" of St-Mathews
         postage stamp series, honoring their 200th anniversary.
         Song "Sunday Christian" ranked No. 13 on Island FM Radio's Most requested song.

2004 Cacique Award for Creative Arts by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
2004 Released CD (Sunday Christian) November 2004
2004 Appears in Bahamian Legends - Volume 1 -2004 published by Jones Communications Int'l Ltd.

2005 second novel - Who killed Sir Harry? (See Press Release)
2005 song - Who killed Sir Harry?

and.... who knows what next?

last update: November 2005

Music

Recordings:

Sunday Christian - 2004	see Article from Tribune November 2004 and What's On - December 2004

Columbus Day - 1990

Christmas in The Bahamas - 1987


Eric Minn’s Songs of The Bahamas - 1983

Compilation CD (21 Bahamian Calypso Classics) available at Josephine's Treasures on Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas

Contact Information

Box N652, Nassau, Bahamas
Phone: (242) 323-2944 Fax: (242) 364-5520 or
910-1210 Radom Street, Pickering, ON L1W 2Z3, Canada
Phone: (905) 839-1395 Fax: (905) 837-9319
email: lauric@idirect.com or laurictc@yahoo.com