Stranger Cole

Wilburn Theodore Cole (26 June 1942 – 11 June 2026), known professionally as Stranger Cole, was a Jamaican singer whose long recording career dates from the early days of ska in 1962 through to his death in 2026.

Early life and career

Wilburn Theodore Cole was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 26 July 1942, and nicknamed "Stranger" by his family, as they considered that he did not resemble any member of his family.

Cole was initially successful as a songwriter, writing "In and out the Window", which was a hit for Eric "Monty" Morris. This success gave him the chance to make his recording debut in 1962, instantly finding success with singles such as "Rough and Tough" and "When You Call My Name" (a duet with Patsy Todd) for producer Arthur "Duke" Reid. Further success followed with singles for Reid through to the mid-1960s, and he also worked with other producers at this time, including Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (a duet with Ken Boothe on "Worlds Fair"), and Prince Buster. Further duets included recordings with Gladstone Anderson (on "Just Like a River") and Hortense Ellis, the tendency to record duets apparently due to his shyness when it came to singing alone. In the late 1960s and early...

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