Posted on 12/19/2022 4:19:35 PM PST by nickcarraway
"One of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced"
Taking to social media, the ska icons shared that the influential singer had passed away from a “brief illness” aged 63, as well as honouring him as “a beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced”.
Posting on Twitter, they shared: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced.
Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity. Terry often left the stage at the end of The Specials’ life-affirming shows with three words…“Love Love Love”
The band added: “We would ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy at this very sad time.”
The singer was also formerly a member of of Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas.
He has released two solo albums and has also collaborated with the likes of Lightning Seeds, Sinéad O’Connor, Dub Pistols, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, D12, Tricky, Lily Allen, and many more.
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“...one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced.”
I’m always surprised to find I’ve never heard of people like this when they were living.
I never heard of him either. RIP.
That's the reason most have never heard of the group or the singer...including me.
To the general public, not well known. But for people into 80s New Wave music, he would be recognizable.
That’s sad news.
We used to have to "field day" our barracks every Thursday night for Friday morning inspection. If we failed inspection, we had to spend Saturday morning doing field day again and getting inspected by the OOD.
Anyway, that fortunately didn't happen too often. So Thursday nights, we'd be waxing the floors in the hallways playing music very loudly while sneaking cold Michelobs stashed in our barracks rooms. Somebody would more often then not put this song on:
The Specials - A Message To You Rudy and the whole barracks would be into that music.
So strangely enough, The Specials even to this day reminds me of waxing floors.
The Specials - A Message To You Rudy
The Specials - Gangster The Specials - Monkey Man Old Grey Whistle Test
I don’t use Sirius. I don’t listen to 80s New Wave and never have. I don’t listen to “ska.”
Three strikes, I’m OUT!
You done too much, much too young
Now your married with a kid when you should be having fun
with me...
A MESSAGE TO YOU RUUUDY
Well they said it was a “brief illness.” Glad to hear it wasn’t “died suddenly.” Might have been serious?
Safe and effective.
If you ever saw the James Bond movie Dr. No, some of the music was by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires , and it's kind of between Mento and Ska. Kingston Kalypso - Three Blind Mice from 007 Dr.No
Also, Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker had a top ten hit in the U.S. in 1969: Desmond Dekker- "Israelites" 1969 [The Old Testament is a common them in Jamaican music]
Thanks for the background and links! I was never partial to Jamaican music.
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