Pad Anthony, the dancehall stalwart who epitomized Jamaican sound system culture, died in Kingston on August 28.
His son, Sean, said the 57 year-old singer was pronounced dead at Kingston Public Hospital where he was taken for treatment. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
Anthony is best known for the songs Ah Murder, Shake Them Down and Who Have The Title. All were dancehall anthems during the 1980’s when he worked the circuit with sound systems such as Black Star and Jammy’s.
Lloyd “King Jammy’s” James, owner of Jammy’s, produced Ah Murder. Shake Them Down was among the first batch of hit songs for producer Bobby Digital, James’ protege who died in May.
Pad Anthony was born Hartley Anthony Wallace in Kingston on October 26, 1962. His first songs were recorded at the famed Channel One studio with bassist Flabba Holt of the Roots Radics Band.
Like Puddy Roots, another sound system giant, Anthony never had sustained mainstream success but acquired a solid fan base in the tri-state area, London and parts of Japan.
He is survived by wife Georgia, eight children and four grandchildren.
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