KINGSTON, Jamaica — The life and legacy of roots reggae icon Kenneth “Junior” Byles shall be honoured with a nine-night ceremony this Friday, Could 23, at 20 Delamere Avenue in Kingston. Byles, greatest identified for classics like Fade Away and Curly Locks, handed away on Could 15, 2025, at age 77.
Regardless of a profession marked by timeless music, Byles battled psychological well being points for over 5 many years, which led to durations of homelessness and a tarnished public picture. Music producer Claude “Massive Stone” Sinclair, who awarded Byles a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, referred to as for his enduring legacy to be revered and celebrated.
Sinclair additionally credited people like Earl “Chinna” Smith, Mutabaruka, Niney the Observer, and George Phang for constantly supporting Byles. The Jamaican authorities, which honoured Byles with a Reggae Gold Award earlier this 12 months, is helping with funeral preparations.
Minister of Tradition Olivia Grange paid tribute to Byles’ contribution to reggae, describing his work as each highly effective and thought-provoking, and stated his dying has left a “big void” within the music trade.
