http://www.radiojamaica.com/news/story.php?category=2&story=24957Thu May 25, 2006
Singer Desmond Dekker dead at 64
Desmond Dekker - the man who rose to fame on Jamaica's airwaves with popular songs such as "The Israelites", "Intensified" and 007 - is dead.
The man who was christened Desmond Adolphus Dacres was born in July 16, 1941 died Thursday morning.
With his backing group, The Aces, Desmond Decker had the first international hit with “The Israelites".
There are very few artistes left today who truly represented the best moments of the first decade of popular Jamaican music.
As a young man Desmond worked in a Jamaican welding shop. And his singing while working there served notice that he had quite a voice.
He had one thing in common with other Jamaican artistes such as Jimmy Cliff and Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker was produced by Leslie Kong of Beverly records.
He formed his group “the Aces”, which at times included Wilson James and various siblings from the Howard family, including Barry, Carl, Clive, and Patrick.
After changing his professional name to Dekker, in 1967 he and the group recorded 007 (Shanty Town), which made it to #14 on the UK chart.
In 1963 his first break came with the single "Honour your father”.
In 1968 the group won the festival song competition with the single - Intensified. His second album was also titled Intensified.
Another hit followed with the Israelites, this reached number one on the English pop charts in 1969.
The death of his guide and mentor Leslie Kong in 1971 was a tragic blow.
Desmond eventually migrated to England where he later modified his music for the English market.
His many hits and concerts made him a star among the English youths, who were then discovering the rhythmic patterns of reggae and who would ultimately imitate his Jamaican "rude boy" style.
Desmond became one of the leading lights of the music scene in Jamaica until the end of the 1960s and was particularly inspired and productive between 1966 and 1970.
He continued to perform and record into the 90's. With his death - he has gone down in history as one of those who paved the way around the world with the infectious beat - serving notice that reggae music had arrived.
