The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has said that the music of Junior Byles, one of Jamaica’s great roots-reggae artistes, stood out because of his powerful voice and thought-provoking lyrics and that his death has left a huge void in the industry.

Junior Byles, whose given name was Kenneth Byles Jr, died in the hospital on Thursday at age 76.

Minister Grange said, “Byle’s contribution helped to create the potent force that reggae music has become in the world. In recording some of roots-reggae’s greatest songs, he rubbed shoulders with some of music’s brightest and best throughout the years from the 1960s, when he entered the business.

“Despite his immense talent, Byles remained a very humble, kind, loving, peaceful person; a gentle soul until death, and it seems so sad that in his later years he developed mental health challenges,” she said.

Junior’s songs such as Beat Down Babylon, Fade Away, Curly Locks and A Place Called Africa are classics, so much so that there has been a renewed interest in his music during the past 25 years due to regular playing of Beat Down Babylon and Fade Away at dances and on radio in Jamaica and around the world.

“It was such a wonderful thing that a number of his artiste colleagues honoured him by performing on a tribute album, Still Beating Down Babylon, that was produced by Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, and I must again emphasise how important it is to honour our stalwarts while they are alive and able to enjoy the honour, and so I am happy that Junior Byles was among those given the Reggae Gold Award at the ceremony held during Reggae Month 2025,” Grange continued.

The minister also expressed sympathy to Byles’ family while vowing to support his Thanksgiving ceremony. “I will also be assisting with the arrangements for his Service of Thanksgiving. I extend my deepest sympathy to the family, relatives, friends, colleagues and the music fraternity,” she added.