Legendary singer, songwriter and actor, Harry Belafonte, has died at the age of 96 from congestive heart failure.
Mr Belafonte began his career as a calypso singer, best known for his 1950’s ‘Banana Boat’ hit song.
His album, Calypso, released in 1956, was the first album to sell more than one million copies.
He would later work with friend, Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s US civil rights movement.
“I was having almost daily talks with Martin,” he wrote in his memoir My Song, published in 2011.
“I realised that the movement was more important than anything else.”
The crooner travelled the world as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF in the late 80s and, in 2014, received an Academy Award for his humanitarian work.
He is survived by his wife, Pamela, their children, stepchildren and grandchildren.
