One of the most important figures in reggae, rocksteady, and all its related sub-genres, John Holt was just 69 when he passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Jamaican Observor reports. He originally found fame in the sixties as lead singer of The Paragons, a reggae group held in the highest regard among reggae fans. The Paragons would find most of their fame with their global hit, "The Tide Is High".
But it wasn't just Holt's ability to write catchy, pop-friendly hooks that earned him the love and respect of his legions of fans; his slow, considered vocal style was both stunning and utterly heart-wrenching. He would go on to embark on a highly successful solo career in the seventies, often collaborating with Bunny Lee and Duke Reid, though it was his own "Ali Baba" that prove to be the most successful single from this era.
Holt made several attempts at enjoying crossover success with covers and a brief stint on MOR, but it wasn't until 1983's "Police In Helicopter" that his career took off once more, continuing to enjoy modest success and critical adulation until the late nineties. Today, we say rest in peace to a true great...
