Calypso – Page 2 – quiliby.com

Barbados’ nationnews.com reports that SOCA QUEEN Alison Hinds has been bestowed with an honour from New York City just in time for Christmas.

The former lead singer of Square One was presented with a proclamation and citation on Monday after performing with a host of Caribbean music headliners at the Caribbean Fever Music Festival at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.

The proclamation, from Deputy Majority Leader of the New York City Council and Council Member for the 27th District Leroy Comrie, honoured Hinds for xemplary service spanning her 20-year career on music stages across the Caribbean and as far as Stockholm, Sweden.

The proclamation called her a legend, noted her appearance on the Today Show, her work in chutney and soca music, as well as her humanitarian work in HIV/AIDS, women’s rights and with the Diabetes Foundation.

The citation was signed by Senator Eric Adams of the New York State Senate’s 20th District.

“It feels great to be recognized for what I do, not only outside of Barbados but outside of the region for these many years,” Hinds told the SATURDAY SUN on Thursday.

“But I still have more to do. I ain’t done yet,” said the singer of hits like Roll, Faluma, Ragamuffin and Unity.

For original report: New York honour for Alison Hinds — NationNews Barbados — Local, Regional and International News — nationnews.com.

See also: Repeating Islands

The following article was written by Cecily Asson and published in the Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday, August 17, 2012. Asson reports on the funeral service held in the honor of the recently deceased calypso icon Sonny Francois, the Mighty Power.

Mighty Power performing at last year’s Veterans’ Calypso competition, singing ‘Island in the Sun.’ …

Within minutes of the funeral service starting yesterday for veteran calypsonian, Mighty Power (Sonny Francois) the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Gasparillo was transformed into a calypso tent.

Led by Community Development Minister, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, and Mighty Composer, several calypsonians among them Chalkdust, Allrounder, Ellsworth James and Sugar Aloes took over the altar as they delivered their eulogy to their colleague, in song.

To the accompaniment of a drum, the calypso bards had mourners singing along to a medley of Power’s best known calypsos, including his hits like “Culture” “Ah Coming” and “Keep He Dey,” and “Lucy”. Power was a member of the Gasparillo church.

SERENADE TIME: Minister of Community Development, Winston 'Gypsy' Peters, centre, and Michael 'Sugar Aloes' Osuna, and other calypsonians serenading Sonny Francois Mighty Power at his funeral service yesterday, at the Sacred Heart RC Church in Gasparillo.

Power, 78, of Caratal, Claxton Bay, died last week Thursday at the San Fernando General Hospital. He had been undergoing tests for cancer, relatives said.

But it was Parish Priest Fr Steve Duncan who stunned the congregation with his wide knowledge of calypso, calypsonians and controversial issues within the fraternity when he delivered his homily.

He told mourners Power was a regular member of his congregation, and among his favourite Power calypsos were “Tun Tun” and “Culture”.

Duncan explained, “That was my era when he composed that tune I would have grown up listening to that tune never quite understanding it.”

It was in his later years, Duncan said, he understood the double entendre and warned that “be careful little mind what you think.”

For full report: Power laid to rest