For nearly five decades, the name Extoll “Ticka” Earle carried a special resonance across western Jamaica. Not because he held office or commanded wealth, but because he gave the people a soundtrack — a heartbeat that followed them from house parties to national stages.
Born with an instinct for rhythm, Earle launched Ticka Music in 1974 while still a student at Cornwall College. At the time, Montego Bay’s entertainment scene was scattered; by the end of that decade, Ticka Music had become a household name, a bridge between rural communities and the rising wave of dancehall.
By the 1980s, his sound boxes stood alongside Kingston’s giants at iconic venues like Cornwall Beach and Jarrett Park. The sessions were electric — Frankie Paul, Little John, and other stars of the era feeding off the energy of a Ticka crowd. Western Jamaica, often overlooked by Kingston’s dominance, finally had its own sonic flag-bearer.
But Ticka’s influence wasn’t limited to music. He was a striker in the daCosta Cup for Cornwall College and later played parish-level football with Hornets FC. To many, he was proof that passion could translate across fields — whether chasing a ball or dropping the perfect record at midnight.
On August 16, Montego Bay Convention Centre was filled with the echoes of that history. Friends like Neville Thompson flew in from South Florida, politicians left their portfolios at the door, and community members stood shoulder to shoulder. Each was there for the same reason: gratitude.
As Steve “Junior Smiley” Campbell of the Ticka Music crew put it, “Him was loved by everyone.”
Earle’s passing on June 28 leaves behind his wife Rosie, three children, siblings, and a community that now carries his rhythm forward. His speakers may have fallen silent, but the pulse he gave western Jamaica will never fade.
