Revered Jamaican singer, Pluto Shervington, has died

Renowned Jamaican singer, Pluto Shervington, known for hit songs like “I Man Born Ya” and “Ram Goat Liver,” is dead.

Shervington passed away at a Florida hospital on Jan. 19 following admission the day before, aged 73. His passing was confirmed by fellow reggae singer, Ernie Smith, who was a musical inspiration for Shervington.

Pluto Shervington began his career in the 1970s singing with the showband, “Tomorrow’s Children,” before transitioning to a solo career. His “Ram Goat Liver,” single was inspired by Smith’s song, “Duppy or a Gunman,” and recorded in a similar style. He then saw his first international single, “Dat,” which reached #6 on the U.K. Singles Chart.

“I Man Born Ya” remains Shervington’s best-known song. He recorded the track in response to then-Prime Minister Michael Manley’s “Five Flights to Miami” speech which his opponents interpreted as an order to leave Jamaica. Despite proclaiming in the song that “I nah leave ya,” Shervington migrated to South Florida a year after the song topped the charts in Jamaica.