The Government and Opposition are paying tribute to Iconic Reggae Singer-Songwriter Ernie Smith who died last evening.

Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange says the Veteran Jamaican Singer earned his place among the best proponents of Jamaican music .

Smith whose given name is Glenroy Anthony Michael Angelo Smith passed away at a hospital in Florida after a period of illness.

He was 80 years old.

Ms. Grange says she was left in a state of deep sadness having received the news that he died.

She highlights that Ernie became legendary for hits in the late 1960s and 1970s including ‘duppy gunman’ and ‘life is just for living’.

She further emphasizes that though silenced, his special voice will resound in hearts and memory forever.

She is expressing condolences to his wife, family, relatives, friends, associates and the music fraternity.

Meantime the Opposition says he was a gifted creative whose music helped define a generation and capture the everyday spirit of the Jamaican people.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding notes that Ernie’s immense talent as a songwriter delivered sweet melodies and profound lyrics which combined with the rich smoothness of a truly great baritone voice, generated timeless hits that have become part of the soundtrack of the island’s national journey.

Opposition Spokesperson on Culture and the Creative Industries, Nekeisha Burchell also notes that Smith’s legacy reflects the power of cultural expression to document and define a people.

She states that Ernie Smith’s work stands as a reminder that culture is not only performed, it is lived and recorded in stories told.