Stranger Cole

Stranger Cole, born Wilburn Theodore Cole on 26 June 1942 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a pioneering singer whose career began in the early ska era of 1962. Nicknamed “Stranger” by his family, he first gained attention as a songwriter with the hit “In and Out the Window” for Eric “Monty” Morris, which led to his own recordings. Early in his career, Cole worked with major Jamaican producers including Arthur “Duke” Reid, Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, and Prince Buster, releasing successful singles like “Rough and Tough” and duets such as “When You Call My Name” with Patsy Todd. He often recorded duets due to shyness performing alone, collaborating with artists like Hortense Ellis and Gladstone Anderson. In 1971, Cole emigrated to the United Kingdom, touring extensively, and then moved to Toronto, Canada, in 1973, where he worked as a machinist and opened the city’s first Caribbean record store in Kensington Market. He released his first album, Forward in the Land of Sunshine, in 1976, and continued producing music over the next decade, primarily on his own label. After a long break, he returned with the 2006 album Morning Train, a collaboration with Jah Shaka, and participated in the 2009 documentary Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae, reuniting with other rocksteady artists to record a new album. Cole is credited with creating one of the first reggae songs, “Bangarang,” recorded in 1968 with Lester Sterling on saxophone and Lloyd Charmers on keyboards. His influence on ska, rocksteady, and reggae extends through his sons, Squiddly Cole, a drummer for artists including Ziggy Marley, and Marcus Cole (aka KxritoXisen), who produces music for him. Over six decades, Stranger Cole has remained a pivotal figure in Jamaican music, celebrated for his contributions to the early development and international reach of reggae.