Olivia Grange honours Stranger Cole’s legacy in ska, rocksteady and reggae

Wilburn Theodore “Stranger” Cole, a celebrated figure in Jamaican music, has died.

Culture Minister Olivia Grange, writing on social media, remembered Cole as a veteran performer whose career helped influence Jamaican sound across more than 60 years, spanning ska, rocksteady and reggae.

Grange noted that his enduring recordings include “Bangarang”, “Rough and Tough”, “When You Call My Name”, “Just Like A River” and “Run Joe”. She also said “Bangarang” is commonly seen as one of reggae’s earliest recorded works.

The minister offered sympathy to Cole’s relatives and friends, Jamaica’s wider music community, and fans internationally.