Jamaican reggae legend "Lee Scratch" Perry dies at 85

Jamaican singer and record producer “Lee Scratch” Perry, considered one of reggae’s founding fathers, has died

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Jamaican singer and record producer "Lee Scratch” Perry, considered one of reggae's founding fathers, died on Sunday. He was 85. Perry, whose real name is Rainford Hugh Perry, died at a hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Andrew Holness. He noted that Perry was a pioneer of dub music in the 1970s and produced more than 1,000 recordings over 60 years that earned him various nicknames, including “Upsetter” and “Mad Scientist.” “His innovative nature led him to become one of the greatest remixing and studio effects guru,” Holness said, adding that people have described Perry as an “eccentric character” who was loved by many. In a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, musician Keith Richards described Perry as “the Salvador Dali of music.”