Wilburn Theodore “Stranger” Cole got a ‘bangarang’ sendoff at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew on Wednesday. The reggae pioneer, who died on June 3 at age 83, was remembered by family and colleagues for his selfless contributions.

Known for songs such as Rough And Tough, When You Call my Name (with Patsy Todd) and Bangarang, Stranger Cole made his name in the early 1960s when the Jamaican music industry took shape.

During the 1970s, he made his mark in Toronto, Canada. There he continued to record music and operated a successful record store in the city’s Kensington Market.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, a lifelong friend of Cole, said his achievements transcend music.

“Stranger Cole was more than an entertainer. He was a cultural ambassador whose music carried the spirit, creativity and resilience of the Jamaican people to international audiences. His music and legacy will continue to inspire generations at home and abroad,” she said. “His achievements remind us of the tremendous impact our creative practitioners have had in shaping global culture and strengthening Jamaica’s reputation as the home of some of the world’s most influential music.”

An all-star band led by Cole’s son, drummer Wilburn “Squiddly” Cole, backed artistes including Ken Boothe, the singer’s close friend. Squiddly accompanied the wheelchair-bound Boothe on Artibela and Uno Dos Tres, songs he and Cole recorded in the 1960s.

Wilburn “Squiddly” Cole (right), son of singer Stranger Cole, with Paula Surtees (second right, daughter of education minister Olivia Grange), education minister Dana Morris Dixon and Mark Smith (Stranger Cole’s son-in-law), at the singer’s thanksgiving service on July 29 at Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre.

Carlene Davis, a friend from the Toronto years, performed gospel standards including Amazing Grace and I’ll Fly Away. Robbie Lyn, one of reggae’s great keyboardists, showed his vocal skill on Bangarang.

There were also performances from The Abyssinians, Xana Romeo, Ezekiah Rose, Chronixx and Warrior King. The latter said his generation owes a lot to trailblazers like Cole.

“It’s very important to show respect and honour to the elders; those who have paved the way for us, because they are the ones who have sacrificed themselves in order for us to be here today, reaping the fruits of their labour,” he told Observer Online. “Remember the Honourable Marcus Garvey said a people without the knowledge of their past history is like a tree without roots, and we all know a tree without roots can never prosper.”

Prince Manning, drummer of The Abyssinians, remembers being raised in the Cole home.

“Stranger was like a father to mi, Squiddly a like mi bredda, a suh wi live. Wi had to be here to show support,” he said.

Video tributes came from singer Winston Francis, a contemporary of Cole, and Stephen Marley, in whose band Squiddly Cole is a longstanding member.

Also attending the service were Tommy Cowan, Copeland Forbes, Bongo Herman, Mitchum “Khan” Chin, George “Dusty” Miller and Paul “Wrongmove” Crosdale of The Firehouse Crew, and education minister Dana Morris Dixon, an in-law of Stranger Cole.