Belizean musician Andy Palacio died Saturday. It comes as a huge shock. The giant voice of a tiny nation, he was literally at the top of his career.
Ivan Duran, head of Stonetree Records, posted the following note Sunday on the label's website:
We are heartbroken to report that Andy Palacio passed away on January 19th at 9pm Belize time. The cause of death was a massive and extensive stroke to the brain, a heart attack and respiratory failure due to the previous two conditions. After having been waylaid in Mobile, Alabama while en route to emergency care in Chicago, Andy had been brought back to a hospital in Belize last night so that he could die in his homeland.
Words can't express the sorrow we feel at the loss of such a tremendous person, artist and friend.
A more formal press release is copied below. Please pass this information on to the countless people around the world who have been impacted by Andy's music and message. Feel free to post this announcement to your email lists or blogs, as we want to make sure that everyone who knows Andy or his music are aware of what has happened.
In the Garifuna culture the death of a loved one is an opportunity to celebrate their memory and rejoice in having been blessed to have had them in your life. We feel so fortunate to have known this incredible individual and we mourn the loss of truly great man.
In an interview conducted last July, Andy was asked how he wanted to be remembered when he died. He replied, "As a proud Garifuna...someone who instills pride in Garifuna and raises their self-esteem. To me, that's the most important thing." This was already the case while he was alive, and we're certain it will only be more true in the future.
Sincerely,
Ivan Duran
The official press release is HERE. Videos from Andy's incredible album Watina are below. Andy's MySpace page, loaded with music, is HERE.
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