Tobago calypsonian gets cultural send-off

The late Sherwin Cunningham, 55, received a grand cultural send-off on Thursday, reflecting the songwriter and calypsonian’s deep love for music and the performing arts.

The former manager of the D’ Masters kaiso tent in Tobago died last week Tuesday after a sudden illness.

Scores of people gathered at the Elizabeth Dennis Baird Recreation Ground in Mason Hall to pay their final respects to a man who dedicated his life to developing and promoting Tobago’s culture and the talents of its up-and-coming artistes.

Cunningham’s far-reaching influence was evident among the mourners as politicians and religious leaders sat side by side with well-known cultural activists and artistes whom he had mentored over the years.

Vocalist Sharon Phillips,of Mason Hall, sang a stirring rendition of the R&B song, It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday, popularised by Boys II Men.

She prefaced her performance by saying Cunningham was the brother she never had.

An emotional Phillips said she was in the studio recording one of Cunningham’s songs when she got the news of his death.

She added they were working on several projects, which he felt would have put Tobago on the international stage. Phillips told mourners all of the projects Cunningham started will be completed.

She said his sudden death is testimony to the fact that time is promised to no one.