With his backing group The Aces and their 1969 hit Israelites , Desmond Dekker, who died on 25 May, 2006, was one of the first Jamaican musicians to enjoy worldwide success.

He brought reggae music into the mainstream during an extensive career that spanned more than 40 years, something no other Jamaican artist had ever achieved.

It was a style that became an important influence and one which paved the way for Bob Marley and other reggae stars.

Mr Dekker remains a unique icon in his native Jamaica and across the globe, especially in the UK where he spent much of his later life.

Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres on 16 July, 1942, in St Andrew, Jamaica, he initially began his working life as an apprentice tailor. However, he later took on a job as a welder, where he famously laboured alongside Bob Marley .

He auditioned in 1961 for record producers Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, but neither were impressed by his talents. Undeterred, he continued his endeavours and was eventually signed to Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s record label before the year was out.

It was not until 1963 that he found success with Honour Thy Father and Mother . Reaching number one in Jamaica, it was soon followed by a string of hits including Sinners Come Home and Labour for Learning .

He swiftly rose to become one of the island’s biggest stars and, in 1967, appeared on producer Derrick Morgan’s album Tougher Than Tough . He subsequently became a hero of Jamaica’s ‘rude boy’ culture.

Mr Dekker and his Aces achieved international success two years later, in 1969, with Israelites , a song which topped the UK charts. He left The Aces soon after and, as a solo artist, released five more tracks that same year.

During the 1970s, he continued to record. Punk, however, was beginning to overshadow reggae music and, by the 1980s, his success was dwindling.

In 1984, he declared himself bankrupt but continued to perform throughout the UK. A revival of Israelites in 1990 reawakened public interest and he collaborated with members of The Specials two years later.

On 25 May, 2006, a week before he was due to headline the Respect festival in Prague, he died of a heart attack at his home in Croydon. He was 64.

He was an icon for a generation and inspired songs by bands such as The Clash and The Beatles.