Opal Nations was born in Brighton, England. During
the mid-sixties he worked as lead vocalist in London
clubs with the late Alexis Korner's Band and later his
own group, The Frays. He helped popularize
American soul-based R & B and gospel music in
Great Britain.  It was through his efforts that black
American gospel artists visited the country to
perform in various major cities.  He also became part
of one of England's first integrated gospel groups,
The Ram John Holder Group. With The Frays,  and
later as a soloist,  he recorded for Decca Records in
London. After brief periods with various London
R&B bands, he turned his back on singing and began
a career as an experimental fiction writer.  His textual
work, sometimes strange, sometimes humorous in
nature, appeared in over 200 small press magazines
around the world. Texts have been translated and
published in French, German, and Norwegian. He is
the author of over thirty books of fiction, drawings,
and collage. As an editor of his own press, Strange
Faeces,  he brought to the public's attention fresh
young poets and writers, both in the publication of
books and through his literary magazine periodical,
Strange Faeces. He was awarded The Perpetua and
Pushcart Prizes for his fiction.  Some of his sound-
poems have been included in the T.V. series "Man
and His Music," a globally syndicated program
hosted by Yehudi Menhuin.  In the late 70's he
became interested in radio, and with The Radio Lux
Players of Vancouver helped script and perform in
many independently produced radio plays.  After
moving to Oakland, Ca. in 1981, he joined KPFA in
Berkeley where for 10 years he hosted a R &
B/Gospel shows -- "Doo- Wop Delights" and, later,
“Rockin’ at Midnite,” as well as a world music
program, “Harmonia Mundi.”   After 14 years’
tenure with KPFA, he hosted a two-hour traditional
gospel program at KUSP in Santa Cruz called “In the
Heavenly Way.”  He produced the Legendary Gospel
Specialty reissue series for Fantasy Records in
Berkeley and the Nashboro Gospel reissue series for
AVI in Los Angeles.  He currently spends his time
interviewing gospel performers, writing articles on a
regular basis for Blues & Rhythm, Now Dig This, and
Doctor Jazz (to name a few) and conducting music
research for CD reissues on the Acrobat and Ace
labels, among others.


About Opal Louis Nations
Drawings by Opal
Books by Opal
Strange Faeces Magazine &
Publications
Articles by Opal
CD, LP, Cassette Production
Records by Opal
Articles About Opal
Poems by Opal