Sparrow continues to reap honours

NEW YORK, CMC:

While the Caribbean community celebrated the 75th birthday of the Calypso King of the World, the Mighty Sparrow, Caribbean-American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke said that she has ensured that he is listed in the United States Congressional Record.

"It is important that the entire nation knows what the Mighty Sparrow has done for us," Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told an honour ceremony at Brooklyn Borough Hall, downtown Brooklyn, on Friday.

"So we have entered him in the Congressional Record," added the representative for the predominantly Caribbean, 11th Congressional District.

Reading from the Record, Clarke said Sparrow, whose real name is Slinger Francisco, has entertained audiences "from the Caribbean to Asia and all points in between," in a career spanning more than 50 years.

She said the Mighty Sparrow was born to poor, working-class parents in Grand Roy, Grenada, and migrated to his adopted homeland, Trinidad and Tobago, when he was just one year old.

As a child, Sparrow attended New Town Boys' School in Trinidad and Tobago and sang in St Patrick's Catholic Church "where his talent was quickly recognised, as he became head choirboy," the congresswoman said.

She said his influences included leading American artistes such as Nat King Cole, Frankie Laine, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Eckstein, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as Trinidadian calypso pioneers Lord Melody, Lord Kitchener, Lord Christo, Lord Invader and the Mighty Spoiler.

The Congressional Record states that 'The Birdie', as Sparrow is also called, had found success early with his hit, Jean and Dinah, at the age of 20.

"Not satisfied with early success, he followed up with a rapid succession of hits, including Carnival Boycott, P.A.Y.E., Russian Satellite, Theresa, Good Citizen, Salt Fish and Penny Commission, just to name a few," it says.

The Record says that Sparrow's songs cover a "broad range of socially conscious topics including education, tyranny in Africa, animal cruelty and the welfare of his home of Trinidad and Tobago."

The Mighty Sparrow's accomplishments include multiple Trinidad and Tobago Road March Competition titles; multiple Calypso Monarch titles; an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies; and general contributions to music and society, with then New York City Mayor Ed Koch proclaiming March 18, 1986 "The Mighty Sparrow Day," the Congressional Record notes.

Touched countless

"I hope all of my colleagues will join me in celebrating the birthday and extraordinary body of work that The Mighty Sparrow has contributed during his career as a lyricist, composer, singer, comedian and entertainer," Clarke said.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sparrow "touched the lives of countless listeners".

"Today's event is a terrific opportunity to commemorate all of your past accomplishments while looking forward to many more on the horizon," he said in a statement read by Roy Hastick, the Grenadian-born president of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said, in jest, that he became a 'Trini', short for Trinidadian, because of the Mighty Sparrow, stating that Sparrow's Congo Man was one of his favourite songs.

"It is wonderful that you can understand his music and his words," said Markowitz, declaring July 10, 2010 "The Mighty Sparrow Celebration Day."

Citations were also presented to Sparrow by New York State Senate Majority Leader John Sampson, the son of a Guyanese father, and New York State Assemblyman Jamaican Nick Perry.