Musical send-off planned for Philmore

THERE will be a public viewing of Ken “Professor” Philmore’s body tomorrow at Guide’s Funeral Home, Coffee Street, San Fernando, next to the Skiffle Bunch panyard. Philmore’s widow Sophia said his funeral will be held on Friday at 10am, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in San Fernando.

This will take the form of a musical send-off for Philmore, as the NLCB Fonclaire Steel Orchestra will provide music. Fonclaire’s manager, Milton “Wire” Austin said the band will play the 1990 Panorama song Pan by Storm, written and arranged by Philmore.

“We want to celebrate the life of a great pannist and arranger who gave most of his time on earth to this artform,” Austin said. Sophia took to social media to thank her family, friends and well-wishers for support over this past week.

“The family of Ken “Professor” Philmore takes this opportunity to thank all of TT for the outpouring of love and support, expressions of concern and condolences we have received since his untimely passing. The overwhelming reaction demonstrates the love that he earned both locally and internationally. He fought to the very end but his injuries were just too much. He lived a great life of which I shared 25 years,” she said.

The Philmore family arranged two nights of a wake in north and south panyards. The first took place at the Newtown Playboys Steel Symphony panyard on Tragarete Road on Monday night and the other at Fonclaire panyard yesterday evening.

“These services were planned to facilitate the many fans and well-wishers who would like to celebrate his life by congregating and sharing their personal experiences with this cultural giant,” Sophia said. His family and the nation, she said, had lost someone who was loved dearly. His association with the pan fraternity, Sophia said, definitely took “pan by storm.”

Philmore died at the Intensive Care Unit at San Fernando Hospital on Sunday morning. He suffered internal injuries in a car accident on the Solomon Hochoy Highway on September 24.