Frankie Paul

Frankie Paul (born Paul Blake on 19 October 1965 – 18 May 2017) was a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist, often called the “Jamaican Stevie Wonder” due to being born blind and his remarkable musical talent. As a child, his sight was partially restored through an operation on a hospital ship, and he impressed Stevie Wonder during a school visit, inspiring him to pursue a career in music. Adopting the stage name Frankie Paul, he rose to fame in the early 1980s, recording prolifically across Jamaica and releasing multiple albums each year, working with nearly every notable producer in the country. Frankie Paul was known for a distinctive vocal style that blended exuberance with a unique nasal, throaty tone, which critics noted made him sound older than his years. He achieved recognition for hits such as "Sara" and "Worries in the Dance," and performed internationally, including two successful appearances in London. His music combined the melodic appeal of reggae with the energetic drive of dancehall, earning him enduring respect in the Jamaican music scene. Later in life, Paul lived in The Gambia from 1994, and in 2016 he underwent surgery to amputate part of a leg. He passed away on 18 May 2017 at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, due to complications with his liver. Despite his health challenges, Frankie Paul left behind a vast catalog of recordings and remains celebrated as one of reggae and dancehall’s most prolific vocalists.