GUITARIST Noel ‘Sowell’ Bailey, an original member of the Roots Radics band, died July 18 from cancer.

His son, Christopher Bailey, said the former session musician passed away at the Kingston Public Hospital at age 61.

He had been diagnosed with cancer the previous month.

The Denham Town-born Bailey was a member of the Youth Professionals band out of West Kingston.

He began recording during the early 1970s at Channel One. Later that decade, he joined the ‘Radics’ which also included bassist Errol ‘Flabba’ Holt, rhythm guitarist Eric ‘Bingy Bunny’ Lamont, drummer Valentine ‘Style’ Scott,

and keyboardist Wycliffe ‘Steely’ Bennett.

Bailey played with the Roots Radics on several hit songs including Gregory Isaacs’ Night Nurse and Lonely Lover; Sugar Minott’s Hard Time Pressure and Bunny Wailer’s cover of several Bob Marley classics.

As an artiste, he had a underground hit in 1981 in the United Kingdom with All Night Jammin’.

The funeral service for Noel ‘Sowell’ Bailey is scheduled for August 31.

—Howard Campbell