With the death last week of the rocksteady singer Alton Ellis, Jamaica lost an artiste of immense talent who was an extremely charismatic performer.

Alton Ellis, 70, was also an intelligent, thoughtful and articulate man, who understood that while his job was to entertain, he had a larger purpose in life, the upliftment of Jamaica.

Indeed, there was nothing mediocre about him, from his warm, evocative voice that spun every word and note into an enjoyment of life to his little unburdened quips in between songs.

Unfortunately for Ellis, he emerged at a time when other great Jamaican talents emerged and tastes in popular music were shifting. So, he never attained the international glory of Bob Marley or Peter Tosh.

However, Ellis was never bitter. In public interviews he coherently and thoughtfully analysed the dynamics of the shifts and spoke with praise of colleagues. It is good that in recent years he experienced a revival of his career, and that many young Jamaicans became aware of his talent and innate decency.

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