Nine members of Jamaica's entertainment industry are among the 140 Jamaicans conferred with National Honours and Awards this year, with pioneering ska, rocksteady, and reggae singer Stranger Cole receiving a posthumous honour for his contribution to the development of Jamaican music.

Cole, whose given name was Wilburn Theodore Cole, will be conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer (OD) for his contribution to the development of Jamaican music. His recognition comes just months after the pioneering vocalist died in June.

Best known for his 1962 debut hit, Rough and Tough, his iconic duets with artistes such as Patsy Todd, Ken Boothe, Hortense Ellis, Gladstone ‘Gladdy’ Anderson, and for creating the early reggae anthem, Bangarang, Stranger Cole first established himself as a songwriter. He wrote the song In and Out the Window for ska singer Eric ‘Monty’ Morris, and it became an instant hit.