February 11, 201312 yr BG, Jackie Opel mate ... a legend and done some great stuff https://www.sirshambling.com/articles/jackie_opel/index.php Forever and Ever Tears From My Eyes Edited February 11, 201312 yr by Dave Turner
February 11, 201312 yr Jackie Opel spent quite a lot of time in Jamaica in the 60's but he returned to his native Barbados around 1967. There he acted as mentor to a upcoming local singer -- Jigs Kirton. Jigs cut some Bajan tracks but eventually headed out to join his older sister in Canada (67). He made an immediate impact on the Ottawa soul scene and established a name for himself. In 69, he headed out to New York and hung out at the 521 Club in Brooklyn (making musical contacts). After performing in local NY clubs for a while, he heard from a friend back in Canada that Sam & Dave were up there and in dire need of a drummer. Jigs took the job and toured the US and Europe with Sam & Dave for a while. He would head back to NY in his time off from S&D's band and here some guys came looking for him at the 521 Club (73). Before he knew it, he was asked to join the Invitations and was recording "They Say the Girls Crazy" with them. Some time later, Lew Kirton went solo. While he was away from Barbados, His old mentor Jackie Opel was killed in a car crash in Bridgetown in 1970.
