Jimmy Riley gets musicial send-off

Held at the Webster Memorial United Church on Half-Way Tree Road on Wednesday, Jimmy Riley got send-off service that certainly fit his persona.

The entertainer was given a musical send-off as several persons from the entertainment industry paid their respects in song. During the tributes section, dubbed Love and Devotion, veterans Dean Fraser, Tinga Stewart, Sly Dunbar and Lloyd Parkes performed some of Riley's most popular songs, such as Love and Devotion, My Woman's Love, Give Me Your Love and Rougher Yet. His son, Tarrus Riley, was also a part of the musical happenings, offering a performance of his father's song, Black Mother Pray.

Minister of Culture, Gender Affairs, Entertainment and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, also spoke at the memorial service, describing Jimmy Riley as more than just an ordinary musician. The event was also attended by Member of Parliament Omar Davies.

In addition to the acts who gave tribute in song, other members of the entertainment industry turned out in droves to pay their final respects to Riley. Among those in attendance were Tinga Stewart, Stone Love's Winston 'Wee Pow' Powell, Leroy Sibbles, Lloyd Lovindeer, Chronixx, Sean Paul, Alaine, Stacious and Konshens.

Jimmy Riley died on March 23 in New York, after a long battle with cancer. He was 68 years old.