‘Peetah Morgan forever’ - Family remembers Morgan Heritage lead singer one year after his death

One year after his passing, relatives of late reggae singer, Peter 'Peetah' Morgan, are still finding their way as they navigate a life without him.

"There is a void in our lives that is going to take us years to heal from," his brother Mojo, who was a member of the sibling group Morgan Heritage, told THE STAR.

"As we remember the love and joy our brother brought to his family, friends and fans around the world, it gives us the strength and courage we need to 'make it', like my new song says. So we continue on this journey with that pain in our hearts, never forgetting the work we set out to do together and ensure we do our best to complete the mission. We seh Peetah Morgan forever! Heritage 4 life! The legacy continues!"

Peetah, the frontman for Grammy Award-winning Morgan Heritage, died on February 25, 2024 from what his family told the press at the time was "an extremely rare medical condition". He was laid to rest in Orlando, Florida after a memorial service on March 7. A celebration of his life was held in Kingston the following month.

Morgan Heritage was formed in 1994 by five of the children of legendary reggae artiste, the late Denroy Morgan - Peetah, Una, Gramps, Lukes, and Mr Mojo. Additionally, the trio of Peetah, Gramps and Mojo had formed themselves into the Trinity.

Gramps, who is also a solo artiste, told THE STAR that the pain of the loss is still strong after 12 months, but he stood as a "comforter, uncle and pillar of strength for all his children and my siblings".

"Words could never be enough to describe the pain that I have continued to feel day in and day out throughout the year ... and, every show when I sing the Morgan Heritage catalogue, I pray for strength to carry on what I promised to do with my siblings in Morgan Heritage," Gramps said.

"It will take a very long time to live with this pain in our hearts, but I remember our conversations as a family and I understand the mission. We ask for strength and support from all the lovers of reggae music and the Morgan Heritage family, to help preserve the legacy. Blessings to all who have sent us love to remind us that this legacy and Peetah Morgan's voice must be preserved and shared. We ask you all to pray for us, and remember, ' you don't haffi dread to be Rasta, it's divine conception of the heart'. See you all on The Morgan Heritage Europe Tour this summer. Peetah Morgan forever," Gramps said.

With Peetah as lead, Morgan Heritage won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2016 for Strictly Roots. In 2023, they received the Reggae Icon Award from the Jamaican Government for their contribution to the growth of Jamaican music and its popularity around the world.