Mourning the loss of the 'My Boy Lollipop' hitmaker, friend and former producer Chris Blackwell remembers her as 'such a sweet person' who had 'a great sense of humor.
- May 6, 2020
AceShowbiz - Singer Millie Small has died after suffering a stroke aged 73.
The Jamaican-born star passed away in England after suffering the health crisis, according to her friend and former producer, Chris Blackwell.
He said of Millie, whom he last saw 12 years ago, "I would say she's the person who took ska international because it was her first hit record reaching number two both in the U.K. Singles Chart and in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100."
"It became a hit pretty much everywhere in the world," he told the Jamaica Observer. "I went with her around the world because each of the territories wanted her to turn up and do TV shows and such, and it was just incredible how she handled it."
"She was such a sweet person, really a sweet person. Very funny, great sense of humour. She was really special."
Millie was best known for her 1964 hit "My Boy Lollipop", which featured a little-known Rod Stewart playing the harmonica and was played in the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony.
She retired from singing in 1970, "because it was the end of the dream and it felt like the right time," and in 1984 she welcomed her daughter.
