Stephen “Cat” Coore, Third World founder, diesCEFR A2
20 Jan 2026
Adapted from Emma Lewis, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Jeremy Brady, Unsplash
Stephen “Cat” Coore, founder and long-time musical director of Third World, died on January 18, 2026. He was born in Kingston on April 6, 1956. He learned cello from his mother and played “The Swan” as a child. He later learned guitar and joined bands as a teenager.
In 1973 Coore formed Third World and the band released its first album with Island Records in 1976. Third World had hits like “96° in the Shade” and “Now That We’ve Found Love” and toured in many countries. Coore mixed reggae with soul, funk, rock and classical cello. He is survived by his wife Donna Feltis-Coore and their children.
Difficult words
- founder — Person who starts an organization or group.
- musical director — Person who leads the music for a band.
- cello — Large string instrument played with a bow.
- album — A music record with several songs.
- tour — To travel to many places to perform music.toured
- survive — To remain alive after another person dies.survived
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Which instrument from the article would you like to learn? Why?
- Have you heard reggae or songs by Third World? What did you think?
- Why might a musician mix different musical styles?
