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Bunny and Tabby Diamond to be buried beside each other

Published:Saturday | May 21, 2022 | 12:10 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
The Mighty Diamonds from left Judge, Bunny and Tabby.
The Mighty Diamonds from left Judge, Bunny and Tabby.

Donald 'Tabby Diamond' Shaw, lead singer of the internationally famed reggae group Mighty Diamonds, and Fitzroy 'Bunny Diamond' Simpson will be laid to rest side-by-side at the Meadowrest Memorial Park in St Catherine.

Funeral director Peter Perry told The Gleaner that they were able to secure a spot for Tabby beside that of his fellow group member, who was buried last week.

On Thursday, May 19, there was a public viewing at Perry’s Funeral Home in Spanish Town, St Catherine, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Tabby, however, it lacked the level of fanfare that is usually associated with the viewing ofprevious reggae icons.

The setting in Perry's funeral home chapel, where the body of the reggae artiste was displayed, was perfectly adorned for the viewing of the reggae great. However, other than a few curious onlookers who were at the funeral home conducting business and took time out to view the deceased Diamond, hardly anyone else stopped by.

From early in the morning, attendants at the funeral home were seen wheeling a white casket encased in a wooden frame and glass to give viewers a perfect opportunity to get a final view of the man who led the group for over three decades, recording more than 30 albums.

Looking on, it would seem like he was in a meditative mood, lying down in a black and white suit with sandals on his feet, listening to himself reeling off hits like Right Time, I Need a Roof and more that were being played via a big-screen television hung to the wall of the chapel.

For hours, no one came for viewing until deejay Terror Fabulous, accompanied by two former sound system operators, turned up.

Terror Fabulous at one stage was seen rocking to the Right Time rhythm while engaged in discussions with Perry, who is also the owner of a popular sound system.

When pressed for a reaction to the death of Tabby Diamond, Terror Fabulous indicated that he did not wish to comment, he was just chilling.

A memorial service for the late Diamond was held today at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, followed by interment at Meadowrest.