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26/05/2006
Reggae star Desmond Dekker dies
Reggae star Desmond Dekker has died suddenly of a heart attack at his home in Surrey, his manager has announced.
The 64-year-old Jamaican singer, who is best known for the 1969 hit 'Israelites', collapsed at his Surrey home on Thursday morning, his manager Delroy Williams confirmed.
The star, who played his last concert at Leeds University on May 11, had been due to perform at the Respect Festival in Prague on June 2, before playing a series of European dates during the summer.
Mr Williams, who was a close friend of Dekker, said that has death had been a shock. He said: "I don't think I will ever get over this. Desmond was the first legend, believe it or not. When he released 'Israelites', nobody had heard of Bob Marley - he paved the way for all of them."
Born on July 16, 1941 in the Jamaican capital Kingston, Dekker worked as a welder before becoming a full-time singer.
He became famous with his backing band the Aces with the hit single 'Israelites', which went to Number One in the UK and made the Top Ten in the USA, but also enjoyed other hits such as '007 (Shanty Town)' and 'It Mek'.
He then moved to the UK and enjoyed further success in the 1970s with hits such as 'You Can Get It If You Really Want', written by Jimmy Cliff.
However, his success began to wane in the late seventies and he was declared bankrupt in 1984.
However, his popularity received a boost in 1990, when a new version of the 'Israelites' was used in a Maxell advertisement.
Dekker was divorced and leaves a son and a daughter.
(KMcA)
The 64-year-old Jamaican singer, who is best known for the 1969 hit 'Israelites', collapsed at his Surrey home on Thursday morning, his manager Delroy Williams confirmed.
The star, who played his last concert at Leeds University on May 11, had been due to perform at the Respect Festival in Prague on June 2, before playing a series of European dates during the summer.
Mr Williams, who was a close friend of Dekker, said that has death had been a shock. He said: "I don't think I will ever get over this. Desmond was the first legend, believe it or not. When he released 'Israelites', nobody had heard of Bob Marley - he paved the way for all of them."
Born on July 16, 1941 in the Jamaican capital Kingston, Dekker worked as a welder before becoming a full-time singer.
He became famous with his backing band the Aces with the hit single 'Israelites', which went to Number One in the UK and made the Top Ten in the USA, but also enjoyed other hits such as '007 (Shanty Town)' and 'It Mek'.
He then moved to the UK and enjoyed further success in the 1970s with hits such as 'You Can Get It If You Really Want', written by Jimmy Cliff.
However, his success began to wane in the late seventies and he was declared bankrupt in 1984.
However, his popularity received a boost in 1990, when a new version of the 'Israelites' was used in a Maxell advertisement.
Dekker was divorced and leaves a son and a daughter.
(KMcA)
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