Prominent in Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec in the 1960’s and 1970’s, The Cougars (also remembered as The Fabulous Cougars) enriched the music scene with a mix of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, R&B, Soul, and Funk. The Cougars were founded after by frontman Jay Douglas, Everton “Pablo” Paul, and Karl Mullings in 1963 named after Ford Automotive’s release of The Cougar. The group initially played Black American-style R&B to appeal to North American audiences, and slowly incorporated their other genres to create their unique kaleidoscope sound. The Cougars started their journey in the Toronto club scene as the house band for the West Indian Federation (WIF) Club and performed in venues like Club Jamaica.

The Cougars are a part of Toronto history, having adorned the stage at the first Caribana Festival in 1967. The group was featured on Jamaica to Toronto – Soul, Funk & Reggae 1967 – 1974, a compilation released in 2006 by Light in the Attic Records. Following the release of the compilation, Jay Douglas and Everton Paul hosted Jamaica to Toronto, an all-star live showcase featuring Jamaican-Canadian artists. While The Cougars are no longer active as a group, frontman Jay Douglas remains a staple in the Toronto music scene.