Reggae singer Nora Dean is dead.
Dean died last Thursday (September 29, 2016) at her home in Connecticut. She was age 72 at the time of her passing.
Nora Dean is best known for her 1969 hit single “Barbwire (Oh Mama)” which became an anthem in the Jamaican music scene in the 70s and 80s. Dean was born in Spanish where she spent most of her early life before joining the group The Soulettes with the likes of Rita Marley and Cecile Campbell. She was also a member of the Ebony Sisters.
Dean migrated to New York in the 1970s but still continues to record music with producers like Bunny Lee, Harry Mudie, Lee Perry, and others. She also provide vocals for Jimmy Cliff’s 1973 classic album Unlimited.
Following a long absent from music, Nora Dean returned in the 80s and 90s as a gospel artist and went on to release several gospel albums including “My Soul Loves Jesus” and “Melody of Praise.”
R.I.P. Nora Dean
