Thanks for the music

THE EDITOR: My condolences to Shadow’s (Winston Bailey) family and fellow calypsonians. He has gone and his contribution to calypso arts should guarantee his entry to Heaven. He died on the eve of being conferred with an honorary Doctorate of Letters from UWI, St Augustine. Artistes such as Shadow have given us the joy of their music and the perspective of their lyrics and they deserve the best accolades in this life.

The late Chief Servant Makandal Daaga once said, “To recognise or honour the artist is in itself an act of national salvation”. This statement became one of the watchwords of the NACC, which I had to honour to lead for almost three decades.

Twice Shadow was Calypso of the Year Awardee, the first was “Poverty is Hell” (1994) and then “Looking for Horn” (2001). He was featured also at the Veterans Honours List concert in 2017 and 2018. The Veterans Honours List replaced the Veterans Calypso Competition. It seeks to continue to provide a forum that can embrace long serving calypsonians in a celebration of appreciation for their invaluable contribution to nation life.

The Honours List identifies veteran calypsonians who should be recognized for their role in laying the foundation for calypso and soca as international music idioms. I am certain that Shadow’s family and the State would have provided excellent care for him. However after Brigo’s funeral I wrote “What has really happened to the idea of a convalescent home for calypsonians?

In addition to the convalescent home all of us citizens need to advocate for fifty per cent of local music to be played on the radio stations. People like TUCO president Bro Resistance have consistently called for this. Without such a commitment no station should be granted a licence.

Back to Shadow now. We are going to be inundated with Shadow’s music possibly for about two days. We are going to be impressed again with the range of his compositions and then we shall put him way in a calypso and soca closet. How much better would it be if Shadow and other local artistes were heard every day?

AIYEGORO OME, Mt Lambert