'Joker' Devine’s funeral on Tuesday

THE funeral service for local songwriter Winsford “Joker” Devine will take place on Tuesday at 1 pm at the Church of the Nativity, Crystal Stream, Diego Martin. He died on June 22 at the age of 77.

Devine is famous and well-loved in the local cultural fraternity for writing some of TT's best-known calypsoes, including Marajhin, Saltfish and Philip My Dear all sung by The Mighty Sparrow, Too Young To Soca, performed by Machel Montano and the immortal Progress, sung by King Austin.

Many have paid tribute to Devine, since his passing, for his contribution to calypso including Machel Montano, the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO), Culture Minister Randall Mitchell and Pan Trinbago.

He is reputed to have written over 500 songs during his career which spanned 40 years.

His daughter Allison told Newsday that he will be buried at the Carenage public cemetery off School Street. Because of public gathering restrictions due to the pandemic, the funeral service will be shown virtually as well to allow for as many to attend and pay their final respects while only closest relatives will be physically at the church for the funeral.