Desmond Dekker ADD
When the World’s first international REGGAE superstar, Desmond Dekker, passed away on 25 May 2006, his loss was felt most greatly among his fans, family and colleagues.
Of these, few were more deeply affected than his long-time friend, singing companion and business partner, Leon Delroy Williams.. Delroy had first bonded with Desmond back in the sixties, with the pair quickly forming a close, brotherly bond that soon resulted in them collaborating musically, performing with a new Aces band at venues around the globe and recording for the then revitalised Trojan Records.
Tragically, it all came to an abrupt end with Desmond’s untimely passing and despite countless requests from fans to take the Aces band back on the road, Delroy repeatedly refused. Soon after, at a one-off tribute show for the much-missed in Norway, Delroy performed with his old friend’s daughter, Deserene, with the rapturous applause that followed their performance convincing him that she would make a very apt and able addition to any future Aces entourage.
But with Deserene firmly committed to her gospel work, any possibility of the pair regularly working together required permission from the church and so, over the years that ensued, Delroy worked tireless to achieve that goal. Eventually, his persistence paid off and the ministry agreed she could indeed still be true to her Christian faith while also helping keep her father’s music alive. Meanwhile, Delroy also enlisted the talents of Studio One legend, Winston Francis: one of Jamaica’s most respected and talented singers as well as being a dear friend to the pair and Desmond himself.
And now, with the line-up complete, this dynamite trio are at last bowing to the demands of Reggae fans the world over and embarking on a long overdue tour that will see them performing around Europe and well beyond. They do so in the knowledge that Desmond would be so proud of the role being played by his dearest friend and cherished daughter in ensuring his wonderful music will continue to be enjoyed by live audiences around the globe for a long, long time to come.
