Jackie Opel

Dalton Sinclair Bishop (27 August 1937 – 9 March 1970), better known as Jackie Opel, was a Barbadian singer who possessed a rich, powerful voice with a high octave range. He was known as the "Jackie Wilson of Barbadian culture" and was also a gifted dancer. Bishop was born in Bridgetown, Barbados.

In the early 1960s, he was discovered by Byron Lee, the band master of the Dragonaires, who brought him to Jamaica. His styles included ska, R&B, soul, gospel and calypso. He is credited with inventing spouge music, a fusion of ska, calypso, and R&B music. Opel performed duos with Doreen Shaffer and Hortense Ellis, and in 1964 was backed by Wailers Bob Marley and Peter Tosh on "Mill Man", "Hairy Mango" and "A Time to Cry".

Jackie’s height was about 5’3-5’4, and he was pigeon-toed. He was known as a great stage performer who could dance as well as James Brown.

Opel eventually moved to Trinidad and then subsequently returned home to Barbados. On 9 March, 1970, he died in a car crash on Lower Bay Street, Bridgetown, Barbados.

The night Jackie died he had just performed at Island Inn hotel, and US music executives attending had inquired if Jackie had recordings or tapes. Jackie went home...

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