Lt Stitchie To Get Jamaica’s Order Of Distinction On National Heroes Day
Dancehall veteran Lieutenant Stitchie is among four members of Jamaica’s music industry who will be bestowed with national honours on National Heroes Day in October.
Stitche, whose given name is Cleve Aman Laing, will join the ranks of Yellowman, U-Roy, Shaggy, Sean Paul and Shabba Ranks, as Dancehall artists who have received the Order of Distinction badge of honour from the Government of Jamaica.
Stitchie will receive the Order of Distinction for his “contribution to Reggae and Dancehall Music, Locally and Internationally”, according to the National Awards proclamation which was released to the public yesterday.
In addition to Stitchie, Aston “Family man” Barrett, the leader of the Wailers, Bob Marley’s backing band, will also be awarded also, for his “contribution to the development of Reggae Music both Locally and Internationally”, as will Donald Orlando ‘Tabby” Shaw, Fitzroy “Bunny” Simpson of the Mighty Diamonds the group formed in Trench Town in 1969, which gave the world songs such as Pass the Kutchie, Right Time, Master Plan and Tamarind Farm.
On Saturday, Stitchie informed his fans of his upcoming award and expressed his gratitude.
“The Dancehall Governor is grateful to Yahweh firstly, then to the PM of Jamaica and all the powers that be, whom collectively made the decision to Award me the high National Award “The Order Of Distinction In The Rank Of Officer (OD). Thanks to all my supporters and detractors, yours truly REV. DR. CLEVE A. “LT. STITCHIE” LAING (OD),” he wrote.
Stitchie, who is a graduate of the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, and a former PE teacher, has had an illustrious career in Dancehall music.
He recorded his debut album titled Wear Yuh Size in 1987 for King Jammys in 1987, which was also named Great Ambition by the producer, for the overseas market.
Stitchie was later signed to Atlantic Records, and during that time recorded three albums – The Governor in 1989, Wild Jamaican Romances in 1991 and Rude Boy in 1993, all of which copped the Album Of The Year awards in Jamaica. During that time, he also featured on LL Cool J’s 1993 Gold Album 14 Shots to the Dome on a track titled Straight From Queens.
After leaving Atlantic in 1993, Sitchie recorded Bun It Down for producer Patrick Roberts of Shocking Vibes. Bun It Down topped the local music charts and was later followed by a slew of number one songs. In one calendar year, during the 1990s, Stitchie even ended up with 14 number one songs.
Among his most epic moments in Dancehall was Reggae Sumfest 1997 when he, following a car crash that occurred en route to the festival, still showed up for his performance, albeit with a bandage over one of his eyes. His electrifying performance earned him seven encores and he was proclaimed the best performer of the night and of the week-long festival.
Stitchie has the distinction of being the first Dancehall artist to be a brand ambassador after he became the face of Red Stripe Beer’s You’re Right campaign in 1987, the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Anti-harassment campaign in 1988 and Cremo’s Buckingham Orange Juice campaign that same year.
Although the Tivoli Gardens High School graduate discography is very extensive, his most memorable track is the mega-hit Wear Yuh Size, a comical song produced by King Jammy, about a love interest who forced her feet into a tiny pair of shoes and ended up embarrassing herself. Among the others are Natty Dread, Romance, Hot Like the Sun, Broad Hips, and Woman Fe Get Lyrics.
He has worked with a slew of Jamaica’s best producers including Bobby Digital, Danny Browne, Donovan Germaine of Penthouse, Sly and Robbie, and Steelie and Cleevie.
Stitchie became a Christian shortly after the 1997 car crash, and in moving away from secular Dancehall, started the Gospel Reggae movement, from which came the album To God Be the Glory in 1999.
No stranger to awards, in 2002, Stitchie was presented with the ‘Outstanding Male Reggae Vocal Performance of the Year’ award at Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards and 10 years later, was conferred with an honorary doctorate from the Cornerstone Christian University in Orlando, Florida, in recognition of his contribution to Gospel Reggae. He also published his autobiography, The Power of Determination in 2014 and was subsequently inducted into the Gospel Hall Of Fame in January 2016, in Kingston.