JUNIOR  Soul— best known for hits songs, including Penny For Your Song, Storybook Children, and Second Chance — succumbed to colon cancer on March 19, 2018 at Westside Regional Hospital in Plantation, Florida. He was 68.

Family members confirmed his death.

Ex-wife Sandy “Prim” Haughton-Smikle, who was at his bedside with other family members during his final moments, described the late singer as “a loving, kind man who would give away his last dollar”.

She said he was a “ladies man” who handed out red roses to the females at all his concerts. Haughton-Smikle said, as a tribute to Soul, red roses would be handed out to women attending his funeral, set to take place on March 31 at Elijah Bell Funeral Chapel, Lauderdale Lakes in Florida. The service is scheduled for a 10:00 am start.

Soul’s surviving sibling, Maureen Bryan also described him as a very friendly and giving person, who raised money in the US to buy toys for wards at Bustamante Hospital for Children during the Christmas period.

Soul (given name Vallen Smikle) was born in Kingston on June 30, 1949 and grew up in Clarendon before migrating to the United States in 1969. He had his first hit song at age 16 and performed with several groups including the Federals, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, and the Fabulous Five.

His last album, Second Chance, was released in 2016, shortly before he took ill and could no longer perform.

Soul is survived by four sons: Tevin, Christopher, Vallen Jr and Jamol.