Stranger Cole
Biography
Stranger Cole (aka StrangeJah Cole) (born Wilburn Theodore Cole in Kingston, Jamaica, on 26 June 1942; died 11 June 2026) was a Jamaican singer remembered for his long recording career from the early days of ska in 1962 through to his death in 2026. His is credited with creating the first reggae song with his hit, "Bangarang".
Cole received the nickname “Stranger” because he resembled no one else in his family. He began his recording career with producer Duke Reid, scoring a hit with his 1962 debut, “Rough & Tough,” a full-tilt ska number with a wild harmonica solo. His Louis Jordan revival song, “Run Joe,” was a hit in 1965, and featured members of The Techniques on harmony vocals.
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Cole frequently used duet partners, most notably Millicent “Patsy” Todd and Ken Boothe, and later in his career, Gladstone Anderson (their version of “Just Like a River” is one of Cole’s finest songs), stemming from an apparent shyness in the studio, but Cole developed into a soulful vocalist, and his songs radiate a kid of joyful personality that is rare in most reggae.
In 1971 Cole emigrated to the United Kingdom, where he toured extensively, and moved on again to Canada in 1973, settling in Toronto.
His first album, "Forward" in the Land of Sunshine, was released in 1976, with a handful of further albums released over the next ten years, mostly on his own label.
Cole is credited with creating the first reggae song with his hit, "Bangarang".[10] The song was recorded in 1968 at Duke Reid's Studio with sound engineer Bunny 'Striker' Lee where Cole performed the song with saxophonist Lester Sterling and keyboard player Lloyd Charmers.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.