Jamaican rocksteady star Alton Ellis dies

Jamaican rocksteady star Alton Ellis died of cancer in London on Friday (October 9) aged 70.

Ellis was known as the "Godfather of rocksteady", with his 1967 debut album 'Mr Soul Of Jamaica' regarded as a seminal rocksteady album.

He continued to release music throughout the 1970s, 80s and into the new millennium and fronted The Flames. He was brought up in Kingston, Jamiaca, but moved to the UK in 1972.

Ellis' agent and manager Trish De Rosa revealed that Jamaican authorities were considering giving Ellis a state funeral. Paying tribute to him, she told BBC News: "His life was the music and the stage.

"He was getting a tremendous amount of work right up to the end – it was very difficult to get him to slow down."

Fans have been leaving tributes at Myspace.comaltonellisod, where some of his music is available to listen to.

Ellis is survived by his wife and over 20 children.