ROOTS singer Lloyd Hemmings, a protégé of Dennis Brown and Sugar Minott, died on February 1 in California. His wife Elizabeth confirmed his death.
Hemmings began recording in the early 1970s and was still active in recent years.
“Lloyd Hemmings’ spirit took flight February 1, 2022. This date was auspicious because it was, ironically though fittingly, on the birthday of his friend and inspiration Dennis Brown, whom he often referred to as “mi soul”, Elizabeth Hemmings wrote.
Hemmings got into music rehearsing with the Soul Syndicate band in Greenwich Farm, Kingston. His first released song was Africa, produced by Sugar Minott; he also did a stint as a vocalist with the Sonny Bradshaw Band.
Tony Chin, guitarist with Soul Syndicate, remembers Hemmings as a solid vocalist whose vocals were eerily similar to Brown’s.
“He was a cross between Dennis Brown and Sugar Minott. When him sing a Dennis Brown song, if yuh closed your eyes you would think it was Dennis,” said Chin.
Hemmings continued singing after migrating to the United States. At one stage he was lead singer of the Small Axe Band in Los Angeles.
His albums include Fit in The Groove and Thirteen Months in Zion, released in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
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