Jamaica bid farewell to dancehall and gospel artiste Lieutenant Stitchie on Saturday, 14 November, at a thanksgiving service in St Andrew. The veteran deejay, best known for his 1986 hit Wear Yuh Size, died at Kingston Public Hospital on 28 September 2026.
Before he became a household name, Stitchie was a schoolteacher making his way through Spanish Town’s sound-system scene. His rapid-fire delivery made him stand out. He could rattle off a string of lyrics and still give the punchline room to land. Songs such as Natty Dread carried his music beyond Jamaica.
After becoming a born-again Christian in 1997, Stitchie brought that distinctive delivery to gospel reggae. Jamaica recognised his contribution to music with the Order of Distinction in 2021.
At the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, his daughter Johanna Laing paid tribute, as did fellow artistes Papa San and Carlene Davis. Culture and Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange remembered him as a cultural ambassador. The service brought together listeners who first heard him in dancehall and others who came to know him through his songs of faith.