Jamaica's Culture Minister Pays Tribute to Legendary Musician Stephen Coore

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Culture Minister Olivia Grange Monday said the legacy of musician Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore will “live on” as she paid tribute to the co-founder of the internationally acclaimed Third World band, who died suddenly on Sunday night at the age of 69.

Culture Minister Olivia Grange“We will miss ‘Cat’ Coore’s presence, but there is no doubt that his legacy will live on and continue to inspire current and future generations of musicians. Rest well, Reggae Ambassador,” Grange said in a statement, hailing Coore as a unique talent and a true reggae ambassador.

The guitarist was one of the early members of the Third World band along with with keyboardist, Ibo Cooper, pioneering fusion of reggae, soul, funk, pop, and rock that helped shape the reggae-fusion sound and propel Jamaican music onto the global stage.

Cooper died from cancer on October 12,  2023 at the age of 71. Both men had received formal training at different music schools run by their aunt and mother respectively in Jamaica.

The band also lost singer Milton “Prilly” Hamilton who died on 17 February 2025.  Since its formation, Third World has also lost William “Bunny Rugs”  Clarke who died in February 2014 and Irvin “Carrot” Jarette, who passed away on July 31, 2018.

The band achieved international acclaim with enduring classics such as Now That We’ve Found Love, 96 Degrees in the Shade, and Try Jah Love, becoming one of Jamaica’s longest-running and most successful bands.

“I express my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. I know his wife Lisa, his children Shiah, Kanna, Stephen, and Ashley, and his grandchildren must be devastated,”  Grange said.

“The Government and people of Jamaica are grateful to them for allowing ‘Cat’ Coore the time to share with us his gift of musical excellence. I also extend a special word of consolation to the musical colleagues who worked closely with Cat,” she added.

Before he co-founded Third World, ‘Cat’ Coore was an integral part of the successful reggae group Inner Circle and Grange said “it is no surprise that he was the recipient of a number of awards, including the Order of Distinction”.