Celebrated reggae producer Winston Riley has died, months after he was shot in the head in his native Jamaica. Riley fell into a coma after he was shot in Kingston on Nov. 1, and he died Thursday. He was 65. Widely recognized as one of the most successful reggae producers of all time, Riley began his career as a singer at the age of 16, when he formed his band the Techniques. They recorded with producers Byron Lee and Duke Reid before Riley quit the group and moved behind the soundboard to try his hand at beatmaking.

He went on to work with reggae acts including Boris Gardiner and Johnny Osbourne and scored international success in 1971 with Dave and Ansell Collins' hit "Double Barrel." Riley became known for creating the popular Stalag beat and later helped launch the careers of Buju Banton, Lone Ranger and Frankie Paul. Riley's Stalag rhythm is estimated to have provided the music foundation for an estimated 400 songs.

Riley had been targeted in a number of vicious attacks in the past year. He was shot in August and stabbed repeatedly in an incident in September. Police have struggled to establish a motive for any of the attacks. Riley's son, radio DJ Kurt Riley, remains equally baffled by the shocking wave of violence. He told the Jamaica Observer newspaper, "Unfortunately, Daddy didn't wake up so we could talk to him to find out if there was something he was not telling us. He was a straightforward man who was allergic to hypocrisy."

Winston Riley is survived by several children and grandchildren.

Biography

Riley was born in Kingston, Jamaica.^[2] His entry into the music industry was at 16 years old in 1962, when he formed The Techniques harmony group, which recorded their first tracks for Byron Lee, and then later recorded for Duke Reid.^[1] In 1968, he left the group and formed his own Techniques record label, moving into production, producing artistes like Boris Gardiner, The Escorts, Alton and Hortense Ellis, and Johnny Osbourne.^[1][3] His own song, "Double Barrel", performed by Dave and Ansell Collins under Riley's own production, was one of the first international reggae hits, reaching #1 in the Dutch and UK Singles Chart.^[3]

His "Stalag" riddim has often been used. The rhythm was first released in 1973, as the instrumental Ansell Collins track, "Stalag 17", named after the World War II film of the same name. It reappeared later as "Stalag 18", "Stalag 19", "Stalag 20" and "Ring the Alarm Quick". Riley produced General Echo's hugely influential The Slackest album in 1979, and he went on to launch the careers of Sister Nancy, Buju Banton, Cutty Ranks, Lone Ranger, and Frankie Paul.^[3]The band Widespread Panic recorded his song "Arlene", and have performed many versions of it at their concerts.