by Steven Seedo
PARAMARIBO — The late calypso legend Mighty Sparrow will be honored with a national farewell in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday (tomorrow). The legacy of the artist, who was known worldwide as the ‘Calypso King of the World’, is also being commemorated in Suriname and the Netherlands.
Dutch-Surinamese orchestra leader Glenn Weisz, who accompanied Sparrow with his Glenn Weisz Band during tours through the Netherlands and Europe, has shared a personal in memoriam online with photos and special videos. “Thank you for the trust you have placed in my orchestra, Grandmaster. Thank you for the performances; they were all highlights for us. I will always cherish the moments with you,” Weisz writes.
“God gave everyone a talent, but God gave Sparrow all the talents and more”
William Souvenir
He first saw Sparrow in Suriname in 1968, shortly before his performance in the Jaarbeurs pavilion. Years later, the two built a close bond of trust. In 2009, Sparrow approached Weisz himself with the request to provide musical accompaniment to his European performances. The singer also told him about his friendship with the Surinamese sports director and radio pioneer André Kamperveen, whose violent death had deeply affected him.
Masini Mofo singer William Souvenir also pays tribute to the calypso legend. “If I could afford it, I would definitely have flown there,” he says the True Time about the national farewell.
Souvenir grew up with Sparrow’s music and listened to the program ’15 minutes in Calypso-land’ as a schoolboy on Radio Apintie. Sometimes he skipped school to be able to watch the broadcast from a quarter past eight to half past eight in the morning. “God has given everyone a talent, but God has given Sparrow all the talents and more,” he says. The philosophy and message in Sparrow’s lyrics in particular have shaped him.
The national farewell in Trinidad and Tobago will include a parade through Port of Spain on October 16 and a cultural tribute including steel orchestras, Moko Jumbies and traditional dancing. The public had the opportunity to say goodbye to the legendary singer on October 13 and 14.
