KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has expressed deep sadness at the passing of two major contributors to Jamaican music, founding member of the Clarendonians group, Ernest Wilson, and veteran percussionist and former member of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Alvin ‘Seeco’ Patterson.

Wilson died at the Kingston Public Hospital yesterday at the age of 69 while Patterson passed on Monday, November 1. He was 90 years old.

“Both Ernest and Seeco in their own way made lasting contributions to our music industry. We recall that Ernest joined with his childhood friend Peter Austin 55 years ago to form the Clarendonians, which later included a very young Freddie McGregor,” Grange said.

“They made memorable hits which included ‘You Can’t Be Happy’, ‘You Won’t See Me’ and ‘Rudie Gone a Jail’. Ernest later released two albums on his own. 

“Born in Cuba, Seeco, who came to Jamaica as a child, later in life linked up with the original Wailers, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in the late 1960s. He was percussionist on a couple of the early Wailers recordings,” the minister continued.

She noted that Patterson continued playing with Bob until Bob’s passing in 1981 and he retired from the music scene in 1990.

“Ernest and Seeco will be remembered for a long time as two men who dedicated their lives to producing great music adding immensely to Jamaica’s rich catalogue of Ska and Reggae music.

 “I wish to extend sincerest condolences to the family and relatives of Ernest, to those who partnered with him in the Clarendonians, to those left behind by Seeco and to the music fraternity in general. May their souls rest in peace,” Grange said.

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Clarendonians founding member Ernest Wilson passes

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