Mourners will gather in the Cayman Islands on Saturday, November 14 to bid farewell at the thanksgiving service in celebration of his life of former lead singer of Byron Lee and The Dragonaires Morvin Brooks.

He died in Grand Cayman, which had been his home for almost 40 years, on November 1 .

Junilee Brooks, his wife of 37 years, confirmed his death at age 74.

She told the Jamaica Observer that Brooks suffered from dementia for several years.

The Clarendon-born Brooks sang lead on Tiney Winey, Give Me Soca and Sweet Soca, which were big hits for The Dragonaires during the 1980s. He also won the Festival Song Competition in 1973 with Jump In The Line.

Neville Hinds, Brooks’ former bandmate in The Dragonaires, remembered him as a versatile artiste.

“He excelled in all genres. Morvin wasn’t just a soca singer, he could do soul, reggae. He was an excellent performer,” said Hinds.

Brooks maintained The Dragonaires’ tradition of versatile lead singers. He was preceded in that role by Keith Lyn, Hopeton Lewis, and Vic Taylor.

His death follows those of bandleader Byron Lee’s wife Sheila Lee, who died in June at age 83.

Singer Oscar B, who replaced Brooks in The Dragonaires, also died in June at age 57 in his native Tobago.

Morvin Brooks is survived by his widow, four children, and 12 grandchildren.

— Howard Campbell