John Holt

First known as a member of the rocksteady group The Paragons from 1964 to 1970, John Holt went on to become one of the island's most popular artists. " Stick By Me" in 1972 was the best-selling single in Jamaica at a time when singles were still the rule. His gentle, romantic style made him one of the leading figures in lovers rock, and brought him international success in 1974 with 1000 Volts of Holt. He took a wrong turn in 1977 with Holt Goes Disco, distancing himself from his audience. His taste for pop then locked him into a second-rate career, from which emerged Police in Helicopter in 1983. His song "Man Next Door", recorded with The Paragons in 1967, was popularized in 1998 in its version sung by Horace Andy on Massive Attack's album Mezzanine. John Holt died on October 19, 2014 at the age of sixty-nine.