Jamaica’s culture minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange, has expressed her sympathy to Anthony Fairclough, otherwise known as “Michigan” of the DJ duo, “Michigan and Smiley”, and to his brother Wayne, a leading football coach, following the death of four of their relatives in the recent airplane disaster in Buffalo, New York.
In a telephone conversation with Michigan, Grange whose Ministry also has responsibility for sport, music and entertainment, told the DJ that she was deeply saddened that he had lost four of his cousins who were en route to Canada when the plane crashed in Buffalo four days ago.
A total of 50 people died, including one person in the house into which the commuter plane crashed. Michigan and Wayne lost cousins: Danny Massop and his wife Dawn their 13-year-old son Shawn Massop and Dawn’ sister, Ferris Reid.
Minister Grangetold Michigan that she was saying a prayer for special strength for him and for Wayne, especially since another of their relatives, an aunt, had passed as well.
“Grieve you must over these tragic circumstances,” Grange said, “but I am confident that your best life is still to come.”
She told Michigan that the music industry missed him and that she was looking forward to his presence once again on the entertainment scene.
Michigan and Smiley conquered the dancehall reggae scene in the late 1970s with the Jeanette Enright penned One Love Jam Down (Uptown Downtown) and Diseases.
