Punta musician Andy Palacio has died at the age of 47 after suffering a stroke, heart attack and respiratory failure.
Born and raised in a coastal village in Belize, Palacio became something of a champion for his home country's culture, so much so he was appointed as a head of Belize's National Institute Of Culture And History. He was particularly known for writing songs in Garífuna, the language of the Garínagu people, who live in Belize and other Caribbean countries. However, he wrote in other languages too, including English, which helped him pick up a worldwide fanbase.
The first musician from Belize to have a video played on international TV networks, Palacio was a recipient of numerous nominations, and the award for Best New Artist at the Caribbean Music Awards in 1991. He released five albums, his final one, 'Watina', was released in March last year to critical acclaim, and was featured as one of The Guardian's 'Top 1000 Albums to Listen to Before You Die'.