John Holt was born in Kingston in 1947 and joined The Paragons in the mid-1960s, singing lead and writing much of their best material, including “The Tide Is High.” Duke Reid also cut him on his own at Treasure Isle, and his 1969 solo side “Ali Baba” became one of the most-versioned rhythms in Jamaican music. He went solo full time around 1970 and became one of reggae’s biggest voices, working with producer Bunny Lee; 1,000 Volts of Holt gave him a UK Top 10 hit and his smooth, romantic style helped point the way to lovers rock. Jamaica awarded him the Order of Distinction in 2004. He died in London in 2014.