Byron Lee fighting for his life

And in some disheartening news to report, he is well known and well loved, and for many years he was a staple on the September celebrations calendar, but tonight Byron Lee is fighting for his life. The seventy-three year old soca legend was diagnosed with stage-three bladder cancer two years ago. He has been seeking treatment in Miami, but returned to Jamaica by air ambulance on Saturday. The following day, Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall in the presence of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, conferred Lee with the Order of Jamaica during a ceremony at the University Hospital of the West Indies where the musician is admitted. The Order of Jamaica is the fourth highest honour in that country. In 2007 the bandleader reached another milestone when Byron Lee and the Dragonaires celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. And although their leader is too ill to perform, the band continues to tour, keeping the name alive. The Jamaica Gleaner quotes Lee’s daughter Julianne as saying, “He’s fully aware, fully alert and has been vigorously fighting.”