Boney M. is a Euro-Caribbean vocal group created by German record producer Frank Farian in the 1970s. Originally based in West Germany, the group was formed to front for Farian’s own recordings, since he wanted to hide his identity. Boney M. is best known for their disco hits “Daddy Cool”, “Ma Baker”, “Sunny” and “Rivers of Babylon”.
Current Members
The current lineup of Boney M. performing live features Liz Mitchell as the original lead singer, alongside Marsha Blake, Madeleine Davis and Reggae Star O’Cean.
- Liz Mitchell – founding member and original lead singer of Boney M. She sang lead on many of their classic hits including “Daddy Cool” and “Rivers of Babylon”.
- Marsha Blake – Jamaican singer who joined Boney M. in 2009. She performs some of the lead vocals previously sung by Marcia Barrett.
- Madeleine Davis – British vocalist who joined Boney M. in 2009. She performs some of the lead vocals previously sung by Maizie Williams.
- Reggae Star O’Cean – male vocalist who joined Boney M. in 2009. He performs some of the lead vocals previously sung by Bobby Farrell.
These four members have been touring consistently as Boney M. since 2009, keeping the music of Boney M. alive with live concerts and performances worldwide.
Original Members
Here are the original members of Boney M. from the 1970s and 80s:
- Liz Mitchell
- Marcia Barrett
- Maizie Williams
- Bobby Farrell
Boney M. was masterminded and created by German producer Frank Farian. He hand-picked the original members to front his musical project.
Liz Mitchell
Liz Mitchell was the lead vocalist of Boney M. and sang on many of their major hits. She provided the lead vocals for songs like “Daddy Cool”, “Sunny” and “Rivers of Babylon”. She is from Jamaica.
Marcia Barrett
Marcia Barrett, originally from Jamaica, was the second lead vocalist of Boney M. She sang lead on songs like “Ma Baker” and “Brown Girl in the Ring”.
Maizie Williams
Maizie Williams, from Montserrat, was recruited to be the third member and dancer of Boney M. She did not sing lead vocals but performed live choreography and backing vocals.
Bobby Farrell
Bobby Farrell, from Aruba, was the only male member of Boney M. He was a dancer and mime artist and also sang lead on certain songs including “Rasputin”.
History of Lineup Changes
Boney M.’s lineup underwent various changes through the years:
- 1981 – Bobby Farrell left the group. He was replaced by Reggie Tsiboe.
- 1987 – Maizie Williams left and was replaced by Madeleine Davis.
- 1989 – Marcia Barrett left and was replaced by Cynthia Locrick.
- 1989 – Liz Mitchell left. She returned in 1992.
- 2009 – Reggie Tsiboe and Cynthia Locrick were replaced by Marsha Blake and Reggae Star O’Cean.
Liz Mitchell remains the only original member still performing live with Boney M. today.
concert tours
Some of Boney M.’s major concert tours over the years have included:
- Take the Heat Off Me Tour (1975–77)
- Love for Sale Tour (1977–79)
- Oceans of Fantasy Tour (1979–80)
- Christmas Album Tour (1981)
- Ten Thousand Lightyears Tour (1984–85)
- Eye Dance Tour (1985–87)
- Mega Mix Tour (1989–90)
- 25 Years of Boney M. (1999–2000)
- Christmas with Boney M. (2006–2010)
- Daddy Cool – The Anniversary Tour (2016–present)
In 2022, Boney M. (featuring Liz Mitchell) embarked on a major concert tour celebrating 50 years of Boney M. This 50th anniversary tour visited various countries in Europe.
Some of their most recent shows on the 2022 Daddy Cool 50th Anniversary Tour were in Denmark, Germany, UK and Ireland.
In October 2022, Boney M. featuring Liz Mitchell performed concerts in the following cities:
- October 1 – Arena Nord, Frederikshavn, Denmark
- October 7 – Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany
- October 14 -White Rock Theatre, Hastings, UK
- October 15 – William Aston Hall, Wrexham, UK
- October 28 – INEC, Killarney, Ireland
- October 29 – Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
The band is due to continue touring in November 2022 with shows in Netherlands, Belgium and more.
Conclusion
In summary, Boney M.’s current lineup consists of original member Liz Mitchell plus three new members who have been touring with her since 2009 – Marsha Blake, Madeleine Davis and Reggae Star O’Cean. They have been actively touring in recent years, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Boney M. in 2022. The original band had many lineup changes over the decades but Liz Mitchell has stayed through it all, keeping the music of Boney M. alive with her iconic voice.