Calypsonians to help ailing De Fosto

A benefit concert in aid of ailing calypsonian The Original De Fosto Himself (Winston Scarborough) will be held tomorrow at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (Sapa). Calypsonians, old, young and seasoned will perform for free, in solidarity with their friend who is in need.

Showtime is 6 pm and San Fernandians are being asked to come out to support good calypso and celebrate the life of this icon who is recuperating after being hospitalised earlier this month at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) at Mt Hope. Making the appeal, public relations officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Calypso Organisation (Tuco) Ras Kommanda said De Fosto is one of the artiste who has always shown solidarity with others in their time of need.

“You don’t have to ask him twice, if Mr X or Miss Y say Fosto I need your support, he always respond with, ‘I will be there’. He is always ready to jump on the bandwagon and San Fernandians, especially, need to come out and show love to that brother.

“I don’t think any other artiste has written more tribute songs to the icons of TT than Fosto so we should go out and support him. Crazy (Edwin Ayoung) is bringing him down, so he is expecting a large turnout. Don’t disappoint him,” said Kommanda.

He said the person behind the show is Lady Gypsy (Lynette Steele) and not Tuco. “She is a member of the organisation and was so moved by De Fosto’s health predicament that she decided to do this benefit concert for him. We are all giving her our support. We have to do what we can, as a constituency, as a nation, to assist the brother.”

While he was hospitalised, De Fosto made public appeals to Government and Opposition members as well as Jack Warner and William Munro for assistance. He said then his "heart is working under 35 per cent not over 70."

Music producer and Wack Radio owner Kenny Phillips, who is assisting Lady Gypsy, also confirmed, “This is the brainchild of Lady Gypsy. I am assisting her because De Fosto is a member of the fraternity. We have to help because it could be any one of us at any time. All of the artistes on the show are performing for free.”

The response from the calypso fraternity has been overwhelming with confirmation coming from Crazy, chairman of the National Carnival Committee (NCC) Winston “Gypsy” Peters, Kurt Alleyne, Singing Sandra, Johnny King, Brian London and his nephew Reynaldo London, Mr Shak, Queen Victoria, Ras Kommanda, Hamidullah, Eunice Peters, Funny, Baron, Alana Sinnette-Khan, Rio, Lady Adana and Lingo.

San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello said he has not been approached but is willing to help in whatever way he can.

“I do not know the extent of his condition, but I want him to recuperate, I want him to enjoy good health. De Fosto has made a sterling contribution to the art form over the years in terms of his ability and his skills especially for the pan,” Regrello said.

Crazy, who has been keeping the nation up to date on De Fosto’s condition via social media, said he has been diagnosed with an enlarged or swollen heart. In one of his posts, Crazy said De Fosto has been told to try and live the best way he can.

De Fosto was abandoned at birth and grew up in the Tacarigua orphanage, carving his niche in the indigenous music of TT.