Music icon Roy Cape dies at 82

LEGENDARY musician, calypso saxophonist and local icon Roy Francis Cape has died at the age of 82.

The news was confirmed to Newsday by a family member late on the evening of September 5. Cape reportedly died after a stroke that morning.

Cape was an active band musician for over 50 years and featured in hundreds of recordings.

He worked with the likes of The Mighty Sparrow, the late Lord Kitchener, Black Stalin and Blaxx.

In 1980, Cape formed the Roy Cape All Stars, which changed its name in 2017 to D'All Starz.

Cape retired after the name change. He said that was not how he wanted to end his career, but it just happened.

During Cape’s time as bandleader, he mentored Kurt Allen, Destra Garcia and Nigel and Marvin Lewis, among others.

Speaking to Newsday in 2017, Cape said, "I was diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and it changed my life completely.

"I had to take care of myself and that has been my focus over the last few years."

Cape began focusing on the Roy Cape Foundation – aimed at developing music education programmes in at-risk communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago and other countries in the Caribbean.

He said the idea of the foundation was sparked in January 2016 by the killing of two schoolboys on their way home from school, and the deteriorating personal security situation in the Laventille community.

Cape, in a Newsday article in 2018, said, "It’s quite simple. We will fight crime with music, thereby healing communities as well as giving the youths a chance through music education."

The foundation began in February 2016 and was registered under the Companies Act.

Cape attended the Sacred Hearts Boys' School.

He lived in an orphanage – now known as the St Dominic's Home – from 1953-1958. Cape was born to a Grenadian mother and an American father – whom he never met.

In 2014, he recalled being around music, mostly steelbands, in Port of Spain, where he lived his early years, and how he would go against his mother's wishes to "follow the music around."

When she died, he ran away with his brother and was living the life of a runaway street child until the authorities caught up with him. He was later sent to the orphanage.

It was at the orphanage, that Cape received his first musical education.

In 2011, Cape received an honorary doctor of letters (DLitt) degree in recognition of his contributions to Caribbean music.

In 2014, he released a book, Roy Cape: A Life on the Calypso and Soca Bandstand.

In 2019, Cape received the keys to the city from Port of Spain mayor Joel Martinez. At the ceremony, he encouraged children to stay in school and get a proper education in order to be successful in life.

In 2019, Cape said despite being a troubled youth who was put in an orphanage, he conquered many challenges in life and succeeded because he finished school. He said before he could accomplish his music, education had to be the main priority.

“I was very unhappy in being away from home. I only realised my bad behaviour contributed to where I was, and I was very unhappy being away from home. I understood what was needed to be done and I did it. It was very challenging, but I succeeded."

Cape credited the late calypso icon Leroy Calliste "Black Stalin" who died in 2022, for what he achieved in his career.

"Without Black Stalin I would have not been here today, because he gave my band the name Roy Cape All Stars. To him, I give great credit for where I am today. What he did for me over the years – I am eternally grateful for him bringing me to the people.”