Danny Clarke, an original member of The Meditations, died in Clarendon on July 27. Ansel Cridland, his former colleague in that roots-reggae group, confirmed his death in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

He said Clarke, who suffered several strokes in recent years, died in a nursing home. The singer was in his early 70s.

“Him was a cool bredrin, quiet bredrin. Him teach mi a lot about singing… him was very unique when it come to playing him guitar,” said the New York-based Cridland, who last saw Clarke in June when he visited Jamaica.

Cridland, Clarke and Winston Watson met in 1973 while living in Majestic Gardens, a Kingston community popularly known as ‘Back To’. The following year, they cut a trial song that became Woman is Like A Shadow, a massive hit for them when released two years later by the Channel One label.

The group had other hits with Woman Piabba, Running From Jamaica and Tricked. The Meditations also sang harmony on several of Bob Marley’s songs including Punky Reggae Party, Blackman Redemption and Rastaman Live Up.

The trio moved to the United States in the late 1970s, with Clarke initially settling in New York, then Arizona. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, they recorded a number of albums for independent companies such as Greensleeves in the United Kingdom and Heartbeat Records in Massachusetts.

Stand in Love, released in 2002 by their Meditations Music label, was the last album to feature Clarke who returned to Jamaica 12 years ago. Watson died in New York in March 2019.

Danny Clarke is survived by seven children (he was pre-deceased by one) and several grandchildren.