Skatalites founder Lloyd Brevett dies, aged 80

Original founding member Lloyd Brevett of the greatly influential band The Skatalites has died aged 80.

Having passed away yesterday in Jamaica, the bass player, most famous for the track ‘Guns of Navarone’, died of seizures following a stroke at Andrews memorial Hospital in St Andrew.

The ska legend's health was said to have worsened after the murder of his son Okeene Brevett in February. Okeene was shot leaving an award ceremony in Jamaica, after been giving the Jamaica Recording Industry Association on Lloyd’s behalf.

The Skatalites were formed back in 1963 and were together for just over a year before they separated in 1965. Back in 2001, the late Brevett was awarded the fifth highest honour Jamaica can give, with the ‘Order of Distiniction’ and more recently in 2010; the bass player was given the ‘Silver Musgrave Medal for his contribution to music.