Community says farewell to 'mother' Singing Sandra

The Hirondelle community, along with close friends, relatives and colleagues bade a final farewell to Sandra “Singing Sandra” DesVignes-Millington on Thursday at the Hirondelle basketball court in Morvant.

She was lauded as an inspiration to people in the area and a “mother” to many, not just in the calypso community, but in her community as well.

She was "officially" given the title of mother by Bunji Garlin, while recording the collaborative hit Lie, according NWAC National Calypso Queen Makeda Darius, who read her eulogy.

“(It) was made possible when DesVignes-Millington’s musical arranger Carlyle “Juiceman” Roberts brokered a meeting of the minds between Garlin and Sandra. The opening lines in the song were ‘Eh Eh! Mother, how you doing?’

“She was the true embodiment of a calypsonian. Sandra single-handedly changed the perception that one must write their own calypsoes in order to be called a true calypsonian.”

In the eulogy, Darius recounted DesVignes-Millington's rise in the calypso fraternity, from her beginnings as a singer in the Mighty Sparrow’s tent in the early 80s to her mega-hits as a solo artiste as well as a member of the calypso quartet the United Sisters, and her involvement in several bodies which supported calypso, including TUCO and TUCO’s Kaiso House.

“Sandra was a lover of all things calypso. She loved the art form and the practitioners. With all the accolades and extensive travels, she showed up with her sisters wherever calypsonians gathered.

“She accepted the motherly role as adviser for many aspiring calypsonians, like myself, Patrice Roberts, Karene Asche, Stephen Marcelle, Krystal Beckles of Barbados, Alana Sinnette and countless others can give testimony to her love, care and guidance. We are blessed to have known a humble and phenomenal spiritual woman,” Darius said.

Officiating at the service, calypsonian and Orisha priest Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osuna spoke of DesVignes-Millington's caring nature, saying she would give her last to her people.

“Sandra was a lover. She would give away her last and then turn to someone and say: ‘You know, I just give away my last something, give me one, nah…’ So she didn’t know she wanted it before she gave it away?

“You would ask her, 'Sandra can I have a cigarette?' and she would give you. And when you tell her it is only one there, she would ask you: ‘So how much you want to smoke?’

"Five minutes after that she would ask someone for another cigarette.”

DesVignes-Millington, 64, died in hospital last Thursday. While no official cause of death has been revealed, several members of the calypso community said she had been ailing.

The two-time Calypso Monarch winner sang hits that included Voices from the Ghetto and Sexy Employers (Die with My Dignity).