Vocalist Errol Asche dies

Karene Asche and her father Errol Asche

Photo courtesy Karene Asche
Karene Asche and her father Errol Asche Photo courtesy Karene Asche

Musician Errol Asche has died at 71. He was one of the TT’s most popular vocalists during the 1970s and 80s and is known for hits such as Jam me Hard, First Time and Soca Land.

Asche’s daughter, the popular calypsonian Karene, posted on her Facebook page on Wednesday, “No words can express how I am feeling, but God knows best. I love you with everything I’ve got. Sleep in heavenly peace, daddy. Love you young boy always.”

She also said in a phone interview with Newsday that her father died at 12.12 am at the Port of Spain General Hospital.

“He got a stroke and started bleeding in the head. By that time he was brain dead, to be honest.”

Funeral arrangements are being planned for Friday. He leaves to mourn his five children including Karene.

Asche was a front-line vocalist with bands such as Ed Watson and the Brass Circle. He grew up in Barataria and later moved to St Barb's, Laventille.

The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) sent its condolences to the Asche family in a phone interview with Newsday.

TUCO’s president Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba described Asche as "a community man and a community-based artiste.

“Errol Asche represents for us, and I am speaking on a personal note here now, in East Dry River/Laventille, a point of reference where people with a vibe or inclination for the creative industry of where we can reach coming out of Laventille.

“He may not have known that, but he represented that to us, as youths coming out of East Dry River, to see Errol on TV on Scouting For Talent, then to see Errol in front of the band with Ed Watson, to see Errol as one of the pioneers of performance where soca music is concerned or what they call soca music.

“Sometimes they talk about this music and they do not mention Errol Asche's name. But he represented all of that for us. Therefore, his departure is a significant loss to the industry as a whole."

Brother Resistance said younger artistes can learn a sense of determination from the life of Asche as well as how to present themselves on stage.

“Artistes have to know when they go on that stage, that people look up to them and they must have that sense of how I am presenting myself. This is extremely important.”

Singer Charmaine Forde also sent her condolences to Asche’s family and said he will be missed.

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