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Montego Bay is now in mourning as one of the city's most revered sons, renowned sound system owner and selector, Extol 'Ticka' Earle, of the legendary Ticka Music outfit, died last Saturday, three weeks after suffering a stroke.

According to reports, the 64-year-old Earle, who was also known as 'Dirty Harry' on the sound system circuit, was at home preparing a meal for his family, when he collapsed and became unresponsive. He was rushed to hospital, where he was revived. But it was discovered to have suffered a stroke.

"He was released from the hospital and was back at home recovering and we were quite hopeful that he would recover, but he suffered another stroke," a family friend told THE STAR. "When I got the news on Sunday, I cried because I realised that we have lost one of MoBay's best."

While Earle was best known for his sound system exploits, which included several legendary clashes, he first became a household name in Montego Bay as a footballer. He played daCosta Cup football for Cornwall College and at the senior level, represented Hornets FC, which was coached by the legendary Steve Bucknor and featured national star Paul 'Tegat' Davis. Long after he gave up football and went into the sound system business full-time, football fans still talked about his lethal left foot, which regularly had goalkeepers ducking whenever he got into range and unleashed one of his thunder bolts.

For the fans of sound system music, Earle enjoyed cult-like status as his legendary parties regularly attracted stage show-like crowds, and his clashes with fellow Montego Bay sound systems - Pieces and Electroforce - created many happy memories.

"Ticka was a man who touched the heart and soul of all Montegonians," said Davis. "When you went to Ticka party, it was like a family gathering, it was a place of total happiness. Ticka contributed immensely to the peace we enjoyed in the 80s and 90s."

Angella Palmer, who was a regular face on the party circuit in Montego Bay in the 1980s, before she migrated to the United States, said the news of Earle's death has rattled her, as she was looking forward to his annual Montego Bay link-up party in New York this summer.

"Back in the days when I was in Jamaica, no weekend was ever complete for me without attending a Ticka party.... it was always a place of love and niceness," said Palmer. "He was so nice and friendly, such a decent man. I don't think he ever had an enemy and for a sound system man who played in clashes, that was extraordinary."