Sugar Minott, the smooth-voiced singer and producer who helped to popularise reggae music, has died at 54.
Minott died on Saturday at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, his wife Maxine Stowe said today. She did not disclose the cause of death.
Two months ago, Minott cancelled performances in Canada after suffering chest pains.
Born in Kingston in May 1956, the singer - whose real name was Lincoln Barrington Minott - launched his musical career as a youngster in the late 1960s as a member of the African Brothers reggae trio.
He started a successful solo career in the 1970s, gaining a following in Jamaica’s dance halls with songs like Vanity and Mr DC while recording for the famous Studio One, the Caribbean island’s first black-owned music studio.
In 1981 he had his biggest hit with a cover of the Jackson Five's Good Thing Going, which reached No 4 in the UK singles chart in March that year.
Minott was known for nurturing young talent with his own Black Roots record label and Youthman Promotion company. Reggae and dance hall artists such as Junior Reid and Tenor Saw began their careers under his tutelage.
“Sugar Minott was a man who gave a lot of strength to the music although he got no love from the business,” Reid said.
A new album from Minott, New Day, is due to be released in the coming weeks.
AP