Junior English.
Singer Junior English, whose career started in his early teens, died in the United Kingdom on March 10 at age 71.
His sister, Angela Osekreh, confirmed his passing.
English (real name Lindel Beresford English) was a fixture in British reggae for over 50 years. He made his name as a lovers’ rock artiste throughout the 1970s when home-grown reggae began taking shape through bands like Aswad, Steel Pulse, and Misty In Roots.
He had hit songs with I Don’t Want to Die, One & Only Lover and Be Thankful.
He recorded for the top reggae producers and labels in the UK, including Clement Bushay, the Pama brothers of Jet Star Records, and Count Shelly.
The youngest of three children, English was born in west Kingston.
He recorded two songs, Fay is Gone and My Queen (with Errol Dunkley) before migrating to the UK in 1964.
His catalogue contains 13 studio albums, the last being the self-produced U Make Me Happy, which was released in 2010 by his label, International English.
Osekreh told the Jamaica Observer that he had travelled to Jamaica regularly over the years but ill-health ended those visits three years ago. He had been wheelchair-bound since 2020.
Junior English is survived by his brother, sister, five children and six grandchildren.
By Howard Campbell
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