The historic reggae group Israel Vibration confirmed this friday 26 August the unfortunate death of Cecil “Skelly” Spence to the 70 year old, after a fulminating cancer that was unexpectedly diagnosed last week.
“We deeply regret to announce that Cecil 'Skelly’ Spence went to rest. In the last few months, he was undergoing therapy on his right hand and shoulder due to arthritis.. Last week he was not feeling well and went to the hospital in New York where he has just discovered that he had an aggressive cancer with no possibility of treatment.”, says the publication made on the group's social networks.
They ended the statement by adding that in their last words, the artist “asked to send his love to all his fans (…) Please, keep him in prayer. Rest in peace, Skelly. We will miss you”.
“Skelly”, beside Lascelle “Wiss” Bulgin Y Albert “Apple” Craig formed the legendary trio Israel Vibration in the middle of the decade of the 70, although it was in the following decade when they began to have international success.
The three met at a young age at Mona's Rehabilitation Clinic, all sick with polio in the epidemic that swept through Jamaica in the 1980s. 1950.
They were members of the 12 Tribes of Israel, one of the branches (casas) from Fe Rastafari, also including the Nyabinghi Order and Bobo Ashanti.
Among the best known songs of “Skelly” they meet “The Same Song”, “Rudeboy Shuffling”, “Strength of my Life”, among many others.
In 1997 “Apple” leaves the group to start a solo career, so the trio became a duo between “Wiss” Y “Skelly”.
Albert Craig, who after the separation adopted the name of “Apple Gabriel”, passed away on 23 March 2020.
