Tommy Cowan, close friend of late singer Ziggy Soul, says the singer deserves an outpour of support from local communities at his thanksgiving service.

“It is important that people come out and pay their last respects because Ziggy is what you refer to as an unsung hero. He dedicated himself to the people and to the children of Trench Town, in particular. I didn’t even know he was that sick before he died, because he still insisted that he wanted to do his annual Christmas treat for the children; even though he could not perform at Christmas Joy in the Bass. Even though he probably knew that he was dying, he still wanted to do it for the children,” he told the Jamaica Observer’s Splash.

The funeral will be held tomorrow at the Joy Town Covenant Community Church in Trench Town in Kingston. It is scheduled for a 1:00 pm start.

Ziggy Soul (given name Devon Beckford) died at the age of 59 on December 20, at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He succumbed to kidney failure, induced by his severe diabetes condition. He had previously lost a limb and was blind in one eye.

Performances at the service will come from Carlene Davis; Judy Mowatt and Livin Kulcha Band . Junior Tucker will operate as one of the officiating ministers, while Tommy Cowan will moderate the programme. A marching band will lead the procession from the church to the May Pen Cemetery in Kingston.

A protégé of world acclaimed reggae artist Bob Marley, Ziggy gained a tremendous amount of exposure which catapulted him to launch a career in 1988. In February 2002, Queen Elizabeth II visited Ziggy in Trench Town and donated a fully equipped recording studio.

In October 1994, he converted to Christianity. He is known for singles such as Sing It Out, Born Again, Trust in the Lord, and Hosanna In The Highest.

He is survived by his wife Marlene.