|
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Jamaica ska bandleader who helped introduce Jamaican music to an international audience and founded one of the island's first ska bands has died.
Information Minister Olivia Grange says Byron Lee died of cancer at the University Hospital of the West Indies on Tuesday. He was 73.
The musician founded the band Byron Lee and the Dragonaires band in 1956 at age 20 and recorded several ska and calypso songs, including "Tiny Winey." The band soon signed with the West Indies Recording Limited label owned by future Prime Minister Edward Seaga.
Lee bought the label in 1964. His Kingston studio would later attract musicians including The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton.
Lee was born in Manchester on June 27, 1935 to parents Oscar Lee and Evelyn Chung-Lee.
He was educated at Mount St Joseph School in Mandeville, where he learnt music then later at St Georges College in Kingston.
He became bandleader of Byron lee and the Dragonaires in 1956, with the bands first record being released in 1960.
He was the first person to promote live Jamaican music in North America and also introduced carnival to Jamaica.
Other awards Lee received include the Silver Musgrave medal for his contribution to music in 1978 and the institute of Jamaica centenary medal for the development of music in Jamaica in 1981.
Lee is survived by his wife and six children.
|
