Tobago to Calypso Rose: We thank thee

Calypso Rose –Linda McCartha Monica Sandy-Lewis, is delighted over being honoured with a Living Legend Award recognising her contribution to Tobago, by the Tobago Empowerment and Alliance Mission (TEAM).

"This award has revived my pacemaker, revived my battery, revived my life," said an elated Rose.

Rose had a pacemaker implanted in 2014 after suffering two heart attacks.

"I feel very great to receive that award. It will go into the Calypso Rose Museum when I come to Trinidad and Tobago," Rose said of her latest accolade.

"I'm still alive and still here to receive that great award," she said in a phone interview on August 30.

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Farley Augustine presented Rose with the award at her home in Queens, New York, on August 19.

Augustine conferred on behalf of TEAM which celebrated Rose as part of its Tobago Day event, held in New York on August 18 at the courtyard of the SW Nazareth High School, 475E 57th Street, Brooklyn, New York.

It was their first meeting since he became Chief Secretary.

She expressed fondness for Augustine and in "ah we boy" adoration said with a chuckle: "As you know, all ah we is one family. All ah we Tobagonians eat crab and dumplings."

She said she and Augustine talked about tracing their families' roots.

"He is a great youngster and he told me about his family from the different islands and I was glad to hear about his ancestry, and I spoke to him about my ancestry," Rose said as she vividly recalled her journey to Africa and tracing her ancestors' link to Tobago.

Following her history-making victory in 1977, as the first woman to win the Road March title (Gimme More Tempo), Rose thanked all of Tobago for nurturing her on the road to success, with the song, I Thank Thee, in 1978. That year, she again created history as the first woman to win the Calypso King title with Her Majesty and I Thank Thee, and the Road March with Come Leh We Jam. Her victory led to the changing of the Calypso King title to Calypso Monarch.

In 2024, Tobago returned the gesture, thanking Rose for her global positioning of the island through her music.

The TEAM's award honoured her, "for globally promoting and showcasing Tobago through (her) extensive contributions of our culture – calypso and soca."

An excited Rose told Newsday, "So, when I come, that picture (award) will be travelling with me, to be in Tobago, so everyone can go and see the award (at the museum)."

The museum is at Fort George, Tobago.

Rose said she is looking forward to coming to the island for Tobago Carnival in October but does not plan to perform. However, she has written a calypso titled Tobago Carnival for this year's event for 13-year-old Tobagonian Nataki Thompson.

She said her son, as she affectionately refers to soca star Machel Montano, wants to do a collaboration with Thompson on the song when he returns to TT.

Montano met with Rose during his recent visit to New York, where he had a four-night stint at the Apollo Theatre, in Harlem, over the Labour Day weekend, from August 30-September 2. In a video on social media they are seen singing their collaboration, Young Boy.

Rose said there are no plans for her and Montano to do another collaboration, only if she writes something new.

She and Montano also collaborated on another song, Leave Me Alone.

Since receiving the award, Rose said she has received lots of congratulatory calls.

Still showing spunk, a lucid Rose confidently declared, "At my age I am still looking so young and nice. At 84, I am looking as if I am 20."

Asked whether she and Sparrow stay in touch, Rose said they do. She said Kitchener was her first calypso boss and she began performing in his Revue tent in 1955.

"I used to sing with the Revue and then I wrote the song, Tobagonian Boys. And I am still singing," she said, breaking into the song and effortlessly singing the verses.

Speaking on the eve of TT's 62 anniversary of Independence, Rose said, "I wish TT a happy Independence Day. May the good Lord give all Tobago and Trinidad and all his children good health, and long life and peace."