By Nills Campbell
With only days to go before Guyana welcomes the Caribbean and the world to Carifesta X calypsonian Lord Canary recalls the preparation but mostly the anticipation whenever the tune “Welcome to Carifesta” played on the airways.
Calypsonian Lord Canary composed “Welcome to Carifesta” for the festival’s premier in 1972; a song that captured local and Caribbean interest and became the theme song for the festival. Thirty-six-years later, Canary (Malcolm Corrica) recalls preparing for the festival, a task he said made Master of Ceremonies Vivian Lee’s job much easier during the celebrations.
From his Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara home Lord Canary told Stabroek News that late diplomat and former leader of the United Demo-cratic Party John Carter had opened his for artists to practice; an invitation that presented many unique occasions. Well-known for his rendition of “Alfred”, Lord Canary had enlisted local disc jockeys, record buyers and the organizers of the Regent Street Dance to make room “down at the bottom floor” for the record long before Carter’s offer.
The stage was well set for the festival at the National Park. With Lee presiding, it was fun in galore. Certainly, Habeeb Khan was there, he said, adding that “36 years have passed and I cannot remember all the artistes who were present.” However, he said he cannot forget the music and the drums put out by the mixed band and vividly remembers the crowd’s reaction.
Today, he still thinks of the people they moved to the sounds of Harry Whittaker and his boys as much as they moved to the sounds of Rector Schultz and his boys and the stands appeared to move with them. Indeed, it was the National Park at its best he said.
For Canary those moments live on. Can he recall his “Wicked Cricket” with all the actions that go with the song? He certainly can. He reveres the names Frank and Billy Pilgrim, Lynette and Celeste Dolphin and for sure, the unforgettable Shirley Merle Field-Ridley. Canary said he has only to close his eyes to remember the crowds of people calling for an encore performance and the merriment. He said their enthusiasm was infectious and he was determined that the leave the Park with as much joy as they brought. He said he imagined them leaving the park singing and humming the lyrics “Open the door let the man come in, all awe ah one family.”
