It’s another birth anniversary for Slinger – “The Mighty Sparrow” – Francisco today.
Does anyone call him “Slinger” or “Francisco”? except his bankers, doctors, or attorneys? And why the “Mighty”?
Well I know for sure about the “Mighty”. And I always find something to write about the man – partly because my only grand-daughter also shares this birth-date with Sparrow, American actor Tom Hanks and two local acquaintances of mine whom I’ll identify merely as “Bert” and “NP”. (They are fairly well-known in journalistic and business circles).
But today, the Caribbean musical icon that is Sparrow completes seventy-four (74) years amongst us and he still towers above many as one who has both entertained us and influenced Guyanese – Caribbean popular – entertainment culture over the past five decades.
And imbued with indigenous folk elements too! In so doing, like Marley later was to Jamaican Reggae, Sparrow personified calypso, then gave it to the world. Whether in its purest form or its hybrid, soca-version incarnation.
On July 09 and in between, whenever I share views on the calypso art-form, I would invariably mention two central “themes” which seem to surface whenever Sparrow comes to
(my) mind.
Brilliance, Blemish, Frailty
The first thought; not really a theme but an obvious conclusion: the Mighty Sparrow is the acknowledged king of the Calypso art-form. He is a brilliant singer, balladeer when he wants to be and a calypsonian who, to me, was before his time.
Is he the best ever? Well, I won’t go there. There were and are those with different styles – unique, entertaining and, well, equally entertaining. The history of calypso is available. There is also “calypso dreams” – a relatively recent DVD featuring some of Trinidad’s deceased Elder Statesmen of the art-form and others, old, current and all champions.
But related to Sparrow’s versatile brilliance and originality is my preoccupation with the role the Guyanese counterparts and musical landscape played in his formative years. Okay, I would not go on about it repetitively, but those interested would know of his days here in Georgetown when promoter Cyril Shaw took him over from another and showcased his raw talent along British Guiana’s coasts and rivers.
This was in the fifties. Young Sparrow left BG, went back to his Trinidad, sang “Jean and Dinah” and the rest, as they say, is history.
The role(s) of Guyanese James Smartt, Eddie Hooper, Eddy Grant and right now, Phillip Nichols will always be prone for mention in any Biography of the birdie. (That’s coming two paragraphs down!)
But what’s this about Blemish and Frailty?
Readers and lovers of calypso – if not contention – would know that I was upset with Sparrow for not acknowledging his principal song-writer Winsford “Joker” Devine, who wrote many of his (Sparrow’s) hits for some seventeen years. You can update yourself on all this (Caribbean Beat January/February 2009), but I am happy to report on this birth anniversary today, that that lapse has been corrected. Reportedly, during this year’s Carnival Season, at the Hotel Normandie, (the very first international hotel I ever “experienced”), the Calypso King of the world duly recognized one of the back-stage creative minds which helped to make him that Monarch – Joker Devine from Morne Diablo, South Trinidad.
But guess what, I picked up the latter bit of welcome information from no other than a beautiful, brainy daughter of the Bird when she chatted with me just a few days ago in Georgetown.
One of Sparrow’s significant number of off-spring, Karen Francisco – recognize the surname – was born to the Kaiso King and Barbadian Margaret Skinner more than thirty years ago. In Trinidad! Karen grew up in the Land of Calypso, studied for some time in New York and is back in T and T.
She’s a film-maker and writer. She has given herself the grand task of producing a definitive Biography of her world-famous father. Hence her visit to GT. She grew up seeing and hearing of the Guyanese influence and confidantes.
One of those contacts, Dr. Seeta Mohamed, daughter of Cyril Shaw, the man who shepherded the young genius for a while, accompanied Karen to where I was. Karen was lucky to speak with Lord Canary, Mighty Rebel and a few other Guyanese who knew, or knew of, the Birdie in B.G.
So his life’s story is being put in print by a capable candidate whose birth-right entitles her to attempt such a personal literary assignment.
Meanwhile, many of us can also attempt our own story of the Birdie. From his hundreds of hits – on every subject under the Caribbean sun. You get a shrewd idea of the man, the genius, the icon. The Grenadian -Trinidadian-American, Calypsonian to the World. With strong Guyanese connections.
Happy Birthday Birdie! Happy Birthday too to my own grand-daughter – Peyton Allana.
