Deejay Purple Man, a member of producer Henry “Junjo” Lawes’ Volcano Records camp in the 1980s, died August 14 at the Kingston Public Hospital. He was 58 years old.

His daughter, Caresa Jones, told the Jamaica Observer that he was admitted there in late July for heart-related ailments.

Born Anthony Jones, Purple Man was from Clones district in Manchester. He became a regular at dances in Waterhouse during the late 1970s, and performed mainly on the King Jammys, Lee’s Unlimited and Jack Ruby sound systems.

He joined the Volcano camp when it was led by Yellowman who, like him, is an albino.

Like Yellowman, Purple Man’s Albinism made him a novelty, though not as big a star.

His most fruitful period came in the mid-1980s when Lawes and Volcano ruled the dancehall with a flurry of hit songs by Yellowman and Barrington Levy. The 1982 album, The Yellow, The Purple & The Nancy is a cult favourite in the United Kingdom.

Three years ago Purple Man released the album, Dancehall General. In 2018 and 2019, he did a handful of club dates in southern California.

Anthony “Purple Man” Jones is survived by his daughter, mother, seven grandchildren, six sisters and three brothers.

— Howard Campbell