Junior Byles, reggae singer whose hits include ‘Fade Away’, has died
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Junior Byles, the gifted, troubled singer known for roots-reggae standards like Curly Locks and Fade Away, died at the Kingston Public Hospital on Thursday.
His sister, Janet Byles, confirmed his passing at age 76.
Byles came to prominence during the Rasta-inspired roots revolution of the early 1970s, with songs like Curly Locks, Beat Down Babylon and A Place Called Africa.
Two years ago, acclaimed guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith and his Binghistra Movement revisted some of the singer’s finest moments on Still Beating Down Babylon, an album that was released by DubShot Records, an American independent company. It contains 11 acoustic renditions of Beat Down Babylon, Fade Away, A Place Called Africa and Curly Locks.
Freddie McGregor, Mykal Rose, Chiney KiKi and Little Nate from Israel are some of the artistes who saluted Byles’ legacy.
Byles was born Kenneth Byles Jr in Kingston. He was a fireman when he started his recording career as a member of The Versatiles in the late 1960s. Going solo in the early 1970s, he recorded a number of hard-hitting songs for producer Lee “Scratch” Perry including Beat Down Babylon and Curly Locks.
Fade Away, released in 1974, was produced by Smith, a session musician whose credits include songs by Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers and Lauryn Hill.
Byles’ promising career was affected by mental illness and at times, he aimlessly roamed the streets. In recent years, he benefited from financial assistance from fellow artistes including Bounty Killer.
