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.[citation needed] 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 WailersBob Marley and Peter Tosh on "Mill Man", "Hairy Mango" and "A Time to Cry".
Jackie’s Height Was About 5’3 5’4 and pigeon-toed. Great stage performer who could dance as good 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 Same Night Jackie Died He Performed At A Islands Inn Hotel And US Music Executives Inquired If Jackie Had Recordings/Tapes. Jackie Went Home To Get The Recordings/Tapes But On His Way Back To The Islands Inn Hotel A Woman Who Was Driving Fast hit the edge of a pillar sticking out in the bend/corner. Jackie was ejected head-first into a triangular wire fence and onto the concrete steps of Harry's Nightery.
Jackie was singing with the Troubadours at the time of his death and the Troubadours played music at his funeral.
Commemoration plaque at the Jackie Opel Amphitheatre
Discography (selected)
United States
You Gotta Cry / Shelter The Storm ~ MGM K13391 (1965)
Note: ‘You Gotta Cry’ is actually in fact ‘Cry Me A River’ renamed to avoid confusion with the Julie London standard.
United Kingdom
TV in Jamaica / Worrell's Captaincy ~ Jump Up 512 (1963)
