KENRICK “Lord Creator” Patrick, the Trinidadian-born singer who made Jamaica his home after writing a song marking the country’s Independence from the United Kingdom, died in Hanover on Friday.

He was 87 years old.

That song, Independent Jamaica, saluted the country’s gaining economic and political independence on August 6, 1962. It was a massive hit, produced by Vincent “Randy” Chin.

Neseline Patrick, his wife of 31 years, told the Jamaica Observer that her husband endured several health challenges in the last 25 years, including a stroke, major back surgery which eventually left him wheelchair-bound, and last December he was hospitalised for two weeks with what was described as breathing problems.

Two months earlier, Lord Creator had been invested into the Order of Distinction, Jamaica’s fifth highest honour.

Following the ceremony at King’s House, he spoke to the Observer and expressed love for his adopted country.

“It’s a blessed feeling; I was not expecting this. I am so proud. Jamaica means so much to me… I’m married to a Jamaican woman, I have Jamaican children. Everything about me is Jamaican. I just love it here,” said Lord Creator then.

Born in the San Fernando region of Trinidad and Tobago, Lord Creator was an established artiste there when he came to Jamaica in 1962. He met Chin, then owner of the fledgling Randy’s Records and struck up a friendship.

While at Chin’s east Kingston home he wrote Independent Jamaica with the help of journalist Raymond Sharpe. Along with Derrick Morgan’s Forward March, it became a soundtrack for the nation’s Independence celebrations.

Along with his compatriots Lord Laro and (guitarist Lynn Taitt) and Barbadian singer Jackie Opel, Lord Creator settled in Kingston after the festivities. He followed-up with ska/calypso singles such as Evening News, Don’t Stay Out Late and Kingston Town. The latter was covered in 1989 by UB40. Last March, it was certified platinum in the United Kingdom for sales of over 600,000 units.

Chin co-founded VP Records in Queens, New York, in the late 1970s.

The company saluted Lord Creator, describing him as a “remarkable talent” in a statement.

“Lord Creator possessed a unique ability to effortlessly traverse the realms of calypso, ska, rocksteady, and various other genres, cementing his status as a legend in the music industry. His seamless shifts between different sounds and styles captivated audiences and further solidified his position as a true musical pioneer. Lord Creator’s contributions to the art form will forever be remembered and cherished,” read the statement.

Kenrick “Lord Creator” Patrick is survived by his wife, eight children (he was predeceased by two), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.