Former Third World member Ibo Cooper has passed

Michael 'Ibo' Cooper, founding member of the reggae band Third World, has died.

Close family friend, Colleen Douglas, confirmed his passing late Thursday evening to THE WEEKEND STAR and issued a statement from Cooper's family.

"Renowned musician and educator Kingsley Michael 'Ibo' Cooper died peacefully earlier this evening after a brief illness. Ibo's contribution to music and culture was immeasurable. His children remember him as a remarkable human being with a magnanimous spirit and light," the statement said.

It was only two weeks ago that Cooper's wife, Joy, passed away suddenly, and six months ago that his son, Arif made his transition. Among those sending condolences after Joy's passing was Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange.

Arif, who was a music producer, and a radio broadcaster for the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, passed away in March. He was playing at a party on Hope Road when he reportedly had a seizure and collapsed. He was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead.

Cooper, a keyboardist, and Steven 'Cat' Coore, a guitarist/cellist, formed Third World in 1973. According to Wikipedia, both had received formal training at different music schools run by their aunt and mother, respectively, in Jamaica, and both had played around the Kingston reggae scene before joining the original line-up of Inner Circle around 1968, when they left to form their own band.

Third World made its debut with the self-produced single Railroad Track in 1974. When the Jackson Five came to Jamaica later that year, they supported the sibling group in their performance at the National Stadium.

Chris Blackwell of Island Records signed the band and offered them a record deal and a chance to go on a European tour, on which they opened for The Wailers.

Their debut album, Third World, was released in 1976, but the band's big break came the following year with the release of the album 96 Degrees In The Shade.

Cooper, who left the group more than a decade ago, was a senior lecturer at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston.

In 2005, he was honoured with an Order of Distinction from the Government for his contribution to the development of Jamaican music.