Alton Nehemiah Ellis was a Jamaican singer-songwriter. As one of the innovators of rocksteady*, he was given the informal title "Godfather of Rocksteady".

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In 2004, Ellis was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his achievements.

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In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame.

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Alton Ellis died on 10 October 2008.

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*The rocksteady genre was a successor to Ska and a precursor to Reggae, dominating Jamaica between 1966 and 1968.