Tributes are pouring in for Jamaican music icon Wilburn Theodore “Stranger” Cole following his passing.
Stranger Cole passed away on June 11, 2026, at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston. He was 83 years old.
Among those paying tribute is Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, who described the singer as a foundational pioneer of Jamaican music.
In a statement, Minister Grange noted that Stranger Cole’s career spanned more than six decades and helped shape the sound and evolution of Jamaican music from ska and rocksteady to reggae.
She highlighted several of his timeless hits, including Bangarang, Rough and Tough, When You Call My Name, Just Like a River and Run Joe.
According to the minister, Bangarang is widely regarded as one of the earliest recordings of the reggae genre.
Grange also extended condolences to Stranger Cole’s family, friends, fans and the wider music fraternity.
She concluded her tribute by saying, “Walk good Stranger. Jah Love.”
