August 27, 2021 will officially be Jackie Opel Day.
This is the third way Barbados will honour the late great musical legend.
The Minister of Culture in the Prime Minister’s Office, John King, made this announcement on August 27, 2020, at the unveiling of the Jackie Opel monument on what would have been the 83rd birthday of the singer and musician.
Opel, born Dalton St Clair Bishop, was known as the King of Spouge in Barbados. He tragically died in a car accident in 1970.
Minister King celebrated the day with a heartfelt post on social media via his Twitter account. He posted a photo of himself along with others who attended the unveiling in Westbury Cemetery with the caption:
“It’s was a very emotional moment when I announced cabinet’s decision to designate August 27 2021 as the official Day of Remembrance for Jackie Opel. This evening we unveiled this impression at Jackie’s grave by young Barbadian artist Von Hal”.
He continued by thanking Aja, Von Hall, Derek Wilkie, Jamal Slocombe, Ken Jones, and Clyde B Jones Funeral Home. The monument at the grave says erected by COSCAP and Clyde B Jones Funeral. Prior to the renovations of the gravesite, Opel’s grave had a wrought iron gate around its perimeter and the iron was bent into shapes of musical notes. However, over the years, the grave was not maintained and it has overgrown weeds and the iron gave way to the elements.
Now 51 years later, there is a monument erected where the Caribbean musical icon was laid to rest in the Westbury Cemetery. The amphitheatre on the grounds of the General Post Office in Cheapside, Bridgetown is named after Opel as well.
First viewed on LOOOP .
