Desmond Dekker, the rocksteady star, died on Thursday 25 May of a heart attack, the Jamaica Gleaner reports in today's edition. His manager, Delroy Williams, says he was not ill and that his death came suddenly, during the night of Wednesday to Thursday.
His track Israelites (the first reggae hit to reach the Top 10 of the British and American charts) made him the best-known Jamaican artist abroad before the advent of Bob Marley.
Jamaica loses a generous artist with many hits (Ah it mek, Intensified, Shanty Town, Coconut water...). Desmond Dekker was on an international tour until next November.
Source: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060526/ent/ent10.html