Lieutenant Stitchie’s voice may have fallen silent, but the influence of the veteran deejay — who commanded respect in both secular dancehall and gospel music spheres — is expected to continue reverberating across generations.

The veteran artiste, whose given name was Cleveland “Cleve” Laing, died at Kingston Public Hospital on Monday morning, one day shy of his 61st birthday.

The news comes less than 24 hours after his wife, Sophia Laing, confirmed that the entertainer had been hospitalised with a low blood count and was receiving treatment.

His passing closes a remarkable chapter in Jamaican music — one that began in dancehall and found a path to gospel.

For distinguished cultural analyst, Professor Donna Hope, Lieutenant Stitchie’s ability to remain loved across musical boundaries was rooted not only in his talent, but also in his personality that endeared him to audiences.

Basillia Barnaby-Cuff (right), founder and director of the Sterling Gospel Music Awards, shares a moment with Sophia Laing, wife of the late entertainer during a handing-over ceremony back in 2024. Contributed

“Stitchie was loved because a lot of his songs were humorous. They were fun and they made people happy,” Hope said. She pointed to his enduring early hit Wear Yu Size, noting that the song was “digestible”, catchy and non-combative — qualities that helped establish his connection with listeners.

“Stitchie had an excellent career in dancehall and that followed him into gospel,” Hope continued. “I saw Mr Vegas made a post and I’m sure several others will as the news spreads because a lot of the artistes he would have came up with in that era were still close to him even though they were doing different genres.”

Entertainers and government officials took to social media to pay tribute to the deejay. Among them Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Tarrus Riley and Chevelle Franklyn (who also transitioned from dancehall to gospel).

Professor Hope shared that Stitchie’s significance extended beyond his music.

“Having a relationship with secular artistes was something Stitchie did well because he understood that it was important to minister to the sheep that ought to be brought into the fold,” she said. “This loss will be felt across genres and eras. He is a part of the industry in a way few artistes were, and so he will never be forgotten.”

Basillia Barnaby-Cuff, founder and director of Sterling Gospel Music Awards, agreed.

“I think Stitchie set a beautiful example of how you can remain an influence with people even when you’re in a different season of your life,” she said. “He was able to bridge the gap between the secular and gospel. He was still able to be on stage with secular artistes, singing gospel without compromising his walk with Christ.”

For Barnaby-Cuff, that was the essence of Stitchie’s ministry — not simply preaching to people already inside the church, but allowing his life and testimony to reach those outside it.

“It is about allowing your life to minister to those you wish will come over to Christianity,” she said.

The Sterling Gospel Music Awards family shared a particularly close connection with the artiste in his later years. A few years ago, Stitchie was honoured at the awards with the KFC Big Deal Award, an occasion Barnaby-Cuff now views with gratitude.

“I am just so happy we were able to give him his flowers while he was alive,” she said. “The gospel fraternity and we here at the Sterling Gospel Music Awards are really saddened by this news.”

Even as his health deteriorated, the organisation continued to support him, raising funds towards his care in the hope that his condition would improve.

“As the body of Christ, we are so grateful that he used the latter part of his years in ministry, and that he brought so many other persons to Christ,” she said. “He truly lived a full life and, as children of God, we don’t mourn as if we don’t have hope, and so that hope is something we hold on to and that one day we will see him again in the great resurrection.

Stitchie emerged from the competitive sound-system culture of Spanish Town in the early 1980s, working alongside artistes including Papa San and Wickerman. His breakthrough came in 1986 with the humorous Wear Yu Size, followed by songs such as Natty Dread, as his distinctive delivery and ability to connect with audiences propelled him beyond Jamaica. In 1988, he secured a recording deal with Atlantic Records, marking another significant milestone in a career that was increasingly taking him onto the international stage.

But it was his decision to walk away from secular music and embrace Christianity in 1997 that would ultimately redefine his legacy.

In 2014 he published his autobiography and among his accolades was honoured with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer in 2021 for his contribution to music.