Ernie Smith has died

The music fraternity is mourning the passing of legendary singer, Ernie Smith, who died on Thursday evening at a hospital in Florida. He was 80 years old.

“He’s gone, he’s no longer with us,” his wife, Claudette Bailey-Smith, told The Gleaner.

Earlier on Thursday, Bailey-Smith had shared that the beloved reggae and folk singer, who did surgery on Sunday, had been experiencing health challenges since June last year.

“That surgical procedure had to do with an intestinal issue. He is now stable and [since Wednesday] he has been a little bit more alert and responding to commands. He opened his eyes fully for the first time since Sunday, and I asked him to squeeze my hand and he squeezed it strong,” Bailey-Smith said on Thursday afternoon.

She stated, however, that the Life is Just for Living singer was still not yet out of the woods.

“He has another procedure to do and I am praying that he will fully recover,” Smith’s wife of three years said.

However, later that same day, the All For Jesus singer took his final breath. His wife praised the hospital staff for the excellent care that was given to him and thanked those who reached out with their prayers and well wishes.

Joanna Marie Robinson, a member of Smith’s management team said that “Ernie Smith was a true treasure to Jamaica and to the world”.

“Today, we mourn not only the loss of a legendary artiste, but also the loss of a remarkable man whose warmth, wisdom, and spirit touched so many lives. Through his timeless music, he gave voice to love, truth, laughter, and the stories of everyday people,” Robinson, who is the wife of singer, Ed Robinson, told The Gleaner.

“Beyond the stage and beyond the spotlight, Ernie was humble, genuine, and deeply caring. He carried himself with grace and always found a way to uplift those around him. His legacy is not only in the songs he leaves behind, but in the hearts that he inspired across generations. This is a painful moment for all of us who loved him, worked with him, and admired the extraordinary gift he shared with the world. We take comfort in knowing that his music, message, and memory will continue to live on forever,” she concluded.

Veteran booking agent, artiste manager and author, Copeland Forbes, expressed condolences on behalf of the entire music fraternity.

“I am glad that I saw Ernie in February at Inner Circle studio in Florida, where they were having a tribute for Cat Coore, who had just passed. I knew that Ernie was having health challenges and when his wife told me the extent of it, I could only say that he was a miracle. Then I heard last week that he was in the ICU, but everybody was still hopeful. Ernie is a pillar in Jamaica’s music and his passing is a tremendous loss. He will be sorely missed. Condolences to the family,” Forbes said.

Veteran singer and artiste manager Tommy Cowan shared that he had known Smith long before he became popular. “But most significantly, I met my wife Carlene when she sang as a backing vocalist with him over 40 years ago. It was, and still is, a joy when Ernie gave his life to the Lord and was baptised. Condolences from my wife and family to his wife and family, friends, and associates. Rest in peace, my dear friend,” Cowan said.

It was in the late 1960s that Smith launched out in the music business, and by 1971, he found success with the songs Bend Down and Ride on Sammy. Among his well-loved hits are Pitta Patta, Duppy Gunman and Key Card. In 1972, he won the Yamaha Music Festival in Japan with Life Is Just For Living, a song originally written for a Red Stripe commercial. The beer company’s 2016 Christmas campaign reimagined the iconic 1972 song and commercial, this time around with Ernie Smith in collaboration with Wayne Marshall and dancer Mystic Davis.

His bio states that in 1973, Ernie Smith was awarded the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in the Field of Music by the Jamaican government, a testament to his contributions to Jamaican cultural heritage through music.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com