John Holt’s funeral on Monday

BY BRIAN BONITTO Associate Editor

A NEW date and venue have been set for the funeral of rocksteady/ reggae singer John Holt.

This follows a request by the late singer’s wife, Merl.

“We want to bury my dad in a nice and honourable way,” Carol Holt, daughter of the late singer, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

“This is what my mother wishes. The service will be at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston on Monday, November 17, at 11:00 am.”

The funeral was initially scheduled for the National Indoor Sports Centre in St Andrew, on Saturday.

“We would have loved to have had it [the funeral] on Saturday, but Monday was the earliest date we could get at the church,” she said.

Holt said musical tributes, which will precede the service, is scheduled for 10:00 am.

She said she is also overwhelmed by the outpouring of sympathy the family has been receiving since her father’s passing.

Born in Greenwich Town in Kingston, Holt is know for his massive catalogue of hits including The Tide Is High, If I Were A Carpenter, Stick By Me, Ali Baba and Stealing Stealing.

Some of these songs were done with one of rocksteady’s great groups The Paragons. He died in London on October 20.

“To Jamaica, he is John Holt; but to us, he’s dad,” she said.

In addition to his wife, Holt is survived by three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children.

The late singer will be interred in the Dovecot Memorial Park in St Catherine.

jamaica observer