Jamaican singer Stranger Cole, a pioneer associated with the ska and rocksteady boom of the 1960s, has died at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston. He was 83. Cole’s son, drummer Wilburn “Squiddly” Cole, confirms the death and says Cole had been ill for some time and was admitted to hospital about two weeks earlier, but he does not disclose the cause of death.
Cole is credited with helping shape early careers in Kingston’s music scene. After moving to Kingston as a child and growing up in Trench Town, he began recording hits produced by Duke Reid, including “Rough And Tough” and “When You Call My Name” (with Patsy Todd). He later released songs such as “Just Like A River” (with keyboardist Gladstone Anderson) and “Bangarang” (with Lester Sterling of The Skatalites).
His influence also extends beyond Jamaica: he played multiple shows in Australia in late 2023 and had a following in Europe. In the early 1970s, he migrated to Toronto, where he joined the city’s reggae community. He is survived by seven children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
