Blue Ventures' Hutchinson funeral Thursday

Former Blue Ventures musician Kenrick Hutchinson died last Saturday from renal failure. He had been ailing for some time.

He was admitted to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex last week Tuesday, on his 70th birthday.

Bobby Quan, owner and manager of Blue Ventures, described Hutchinson as a man who greatly contributed to the music industry, not only through his own music but by helping budding musicians record their own music.

Hutchinson was a keyboardist with Blue Ventures. He owned two studios – Ken Hutchinson Studio in St Joseph and Spectrum Studio in Port of Spain. There he recorded jingles as well as local songs.

Quan said, "Ken was deeply involved in getting the young people to succeed in the music industry. He was always willing to help them in the recording studio."

Hutchinson was a part of Blue Ventures from 1990 until 2013. In their heyday Blue Ventures had 15 people in the band which performed throughout the country and around the world. Hutchinson would travel to the US and Canada to perform.

However, Quan said as the music industry was shifting more to "electronics," the band decided to downsize, allowing those who no longer wanted to perform to retire. Hutchinson was one of those members.

"He was not in the best of health and decided to step down from the hectic life," Quan said.

Two months ago, the members of Blue Ventures met with Hutchinson at his home. Quan said though he was ailing, he was still in good spirits and happy to see his former bandmates.

Hutchinson had no children but leaves behind a widow, Rosalyn Hutchinson, three sisters and a brother.

Funeral arrangements are scheduled for Thursday at the Third Exodus of Assembly, Longdenville, and he will be interred at the St Joseph Cemetery, St Joseph.