Hasani Walters, STAR Writer

The entertainment industry is again mourning the loss of one of its stalwarts as Lloyd Knibb, one of the founding members of ska band the Skatalites, died last night from liver cancer.

Knibb, a recipient of a Silver Musgrave Medal for music, died at the age of 80. He was the band's drummer and along with the other members recorded for labels such as Treasure Isle, Studio One and Top Deck Records in the 1960s.

Jamaica Music Museum director, Herbie Miller, who knew Knibb well evident from his reference to him as 'Lloydy', spoke with The weekend STAR saying, "In all sense of Jamaican music he was the most important drummer we have produced ... and for a number of reasons as he was a fine drummer and a really innovative drummer who had longevity going for him."

He continued, "We were able to hear him and listen to what he was doing and watch him come from being a jazz drummer to create a sound that is truly Jamaican."

According to Miller, Knibb went against doctor's orders and checked out of the hospital, came home to Jamaica and passed away last night.

He said that by himself Knibb played what it took a collective group to do and that the complexity of his beats were all done in a way that seemed very simple.

"It's a very great loss because he placed Jamaica on an international map back in the '60s hitting the BBC with hits. He showed that there was possibility to excel despite the politics, classism and even racial surroundings," said Miller.

Among the Skatalites' popular records included Eastern Standard Time, Freedom Sounds, Guns of Navarone and Confucius.

The group was officially formed in June 1964 and was the backing band for many vocalists including Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Toots and The Maytals, among others.