In “Jamaica – Reggae legend Stephen Cat Coore dies aged 69,” Richès Karayib announced the death of Stephen “Cat” Coore, co-founder of legendary reggae band Third World and one of Jamaica’s most respected musicians. He passed away on January 18, 2026. As the article points out, Third World’s fusion of reggae, soul, funk, pop, and rock helped propel Jamaican music onto the global stage. For full article, photos, and videos, visit Richès Karayib.
Stephen Cat Coore died at the age of 69, leaving the Caribbean bereft of one of its most consistent and demanding artisans. Guitarist, singer, composer and co-founder of the group Third World, he embodies a singular trajectory in the history of Jamaican music: that of a creator who chose continuity, rigor and thoughtful openness rather than rupture or effect.
His death is not just that of a renowned musician. It marks the loss of a cultural landmark, of a man who knew how to think of reggae as a space for dialogue between Caribbean heritage and the global circulation of sounds.
A musical heritage steeped in Jamaican history
Stephen Cat Coore was born in a Jamaica where music was already structuring the collective narrative. Son of Bunny Ruggs, a member of the Maytals, grew up in the shadow of a heritage shaped by ska, rocksteady and the first expressions of reggae. This filiation is never claimed as a privilege but assumed as a responsibility: that of prolonging a history without freezing it.
Stephen Cat Coore understood early on that reggae was not just a musical category. Reggae is a cultural language, a system of meanings capable of conveying Caribbean social narratives, political tensions, spiritualities and hopes. This awareness permeates his entire artistic career.
Third World, or the art of expanding reggae without weakening it
When Third World was born in 1973, the Jamaican musical landscape was already highly structured. Roots reggae was imposing its aesthetic and ideological codes, while the international music industry was beginning to appropriate some of its symbols. Against this backdrop, Stephen Cat Coore and his partners made a delicate choice: to open reggae up to other influences while refusing to dilute its identity.
Third World develops a hybrid musical language, where the Jamaican pulse dialogues with soul, funk, jazz and pop. This approach is neither opportunistic nor decorative. It’s based on a keen understanding of balance: preserving the rhythmic backbone of reggae while expanding its harmonic horizons.
Stephen Cat Coore plays a central role in this sonic architecture. His guitar acts as a hyphen, capable of linking universes without ever breaking the overall coherence. As a result, Third World has become one of the rare Jamaican groups to make a lasting impact on international stages without abandoning its cultural depth. [. . .]
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For full article, photos, and videos, see https://richeskarayib.com/reggae-legend-stephen-cat-coore-dies-aged-69/
In “Jamaica – Reggae legend Stephen Cat Coore dies aged 69,” Richès Karayib announced the death of Stephen “Cat” Coore, co-founder of legendary reggae band Third World and one of Jamaica’s most respected musicians. He passed away on January 18, 2026. As the article points out, Third World’s fusion of reggae, soul, funk, pop, and