Jackie Opel

Legendary ska vocalist, great dancer and bass player born in 1938 in Bridgetown, Barbados, Jackie was discovered by Byron Lee and moved to Jamaica in 1962 where he joined The Skatalites and recorded many solo tracks for labels such as Studio One, Coxsone Records and Top Deck Records. A diverse vocalist, Jackie has recorded in many vocal styles including ska, R&B, soul, gospel, and calypso. He is also credited as inventing the musical style of spouge (a combination of ska, calypso and more traditional rock n roll and religious styles popular in the UK & US). Opel eventually moved to Trinidad and then back to Barbados where, in 1970, he died in a car crash in his home town of Bridgetown.