Haydain Neale from Jacksoul is seen after winning the RandB / Soul Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards in Saskatoon, Sask. on April 1, 2007. (CP / Adrian Wyld)
The lead singer of Juno award-winning group jacksoul has died after a seven month battle with lung cancer.
Haydain Neale, 39, passed away at Mount Sinai Hospital on Sunday surrounded by family and friends.
In a statement from his wife Michaela she says Haydain’s sense of humour and love of music was “ever-present” through the challenges.
“He constantly brightened the room with his singing and his smile. His joyful presence and beautiful voice will be missed by us all,” she says.
Neale also leaves behind daughter Yasmin.
Over the course of his career, Haydain was awarded the SOCAN award for “R&B Song of the Year,” a Canadian Urban Music award for “Songwriter of the Year,” and two JUNO awards for “Best R&B/Soul Recording.”
The singer was from Hamilton, Ontario. In August 2007, Haydain was involved in a car accident in Toronto that left him in hospital in critical condition.
The group is set to release a new album called SOULmate on December 1.