MUSIC STALWARTS, KING SPORTY AND PETER STODDART, GET FITTING SEND-OFFS!

Top: Dennis Sindrey and Kinglsey Cooper of The Caribs

Bottom: (From left) Inner Circle’s Ian Lewis, reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, Abdul Mushin and Bernard ‘Touter’ Harvey at the thanksgiving service for Noel ‘King Sporty’ Williams in Miami, Florida, on Monday.—

TWO stalwarts of Jamaican music who died recently got their final encore last Saturday and Monday, respectively.

Keyboardist Peter Stoddart and singer/producer Noel ‘King Sporty’ Williams were given fitting send-offs in St Andrew and Miami.

The thanksgiving service for Stoddart — an Australian and co-founder of The Caribs band — took place at St Jude’s Anglican Church in Stony Hill.

Stoddart (who died on December 26 at age 79) was remembered as an outstanding husband, parent and musician.

His wife Rilla, daughters Roberta, Lisa and Caroline, grandchildren Justin and Tatiana, head guitarist Dennis Sindrey (Stoddart’s compatriot and former Caribs colleague) deliver a moving tribute with the Sinatra and Judy Garland standards, My Way and Over The Rainbow.

Tributes came from his children and relatives in Australia who were unable to attend.

Guitarist Rupert Bent Snr, pianist Marjorie Whylie, singer Myrna Hague, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell and Kingsley Goodison of King Omar Promotions, attended the service.

On Monday, King Sporty was remembered by family and friends at the Historic Lyric Theater in Overtown. According to his longtime friend Abdul Mushin, it was “a joyous occasion”.

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, Ian Lewis and Bernard ‘Touter’ Harvey of Inner Circle, singer Jimmy Thomas, Steve Alaimo of TK Records and actor Phillip Michael Thomas of Miami Vice fame, were among the entertainment personalities in attendance.

Sporty’s family, including his wife, soul singer Betty Wright, 22 children and grandchildren, heard powerful performances of Love is You by daughter Asher Williams and Donny Hathaway’s A Song for You by his son Yusef.

Sporty, who co-wrote the song Buffalo Soldier with Bob Marley, died January 6 in Miami at age 71. He will be cremated and his ashes spread in his native Portland.

— Howard Campbell