Stranger Cole

Stranger Cole entered the world as Wilburn Theodore Cole during 1945 in Kingston, Jamaica, earning his enduring nickname because his appearance matched no other relative. He launched his recording path under producer Duke Reid and achieved immediate success with the 1962 debut single “Rough & Tough,” an energetic ska track propelled by an exuberant harmonica break. In 1965 he scored another hit by reviving Louis Jordan’s “Run Joe,” supported on harmonies by members of the Techniques. Duet work became a recurring choice, first with Patsy Todd and Ken Boothe, then later with Gladstone Anderson; their reading of “Just Like a River” ranks among Cole’s strongest recordings and apparently arose from an initial reluctance to record alone. Over time he matured into a deeply soulful singer whose tracks convey a buoyant spirit seldom encountered in reggae. Once the ska period faded he parted from Reid and operated independently, taping material for Sonia Pottinger, Lee “Scratch” Perry (notably the single “Run Up Your Mouth”), and Bunny “Striker” Lee. In 1971 he settled in England and performed widely before relocating to Toronto, Canada, in 1973. There he issued three albums on his own imprint: The First Ten Years of Stranger Cole (1978), Captive Land (1980), and The Patriot (1982). Trojan Records later compiled Bangarang: The Best of Stranger Cole 1962-1972 in 2003, finally offering a comprehensive survey of his Jamaican output.