Alvin Daniell interviews Calypsonian Duke on his career featuring his four consecutive victories as a Calypso monarch and his road march victory with "Thunder".
Mighty Duke (Kelvin Pope) (1932-2009) of Point Fortin, San Fernando, Trinidad W.I. Started his Calypso career in the 1950s'. He left a lucrative career at Shell (oil company) to write & sing Calypso. If I remember his first LP was released in 1964- Rough & Tumble Calypsoes- thank you Discogs!! He as Alvin Daniell pointed out won the Calypso Monarch four (4) consecutive years 1968- What Is Calypso? & Social Bacchanal, 1969- "Black & Beautiful"- similar to James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black & I'm Proud" (1968)- during the Black Power movement in 1968 with H. Rap Brown, Bobby Seale, Stokley Carmichael...."Visina" (I wish I could say I heard some of his Monarch tunes- if someone has the LPs or 45s if you post them on CZcams, your audience will be forever grateful). 1970- Black Power in Trinidad- "Brotherhood Of Man" & "See Through" and finally in 1971 "Melvin & Yvonne" I think? (I am off I know- somebody correct me). Also "Mathematical Formula". It's interesting to hear Duke say that in 1972- the year of the polio outbreak which claim 10 lives in Trinidad, the Mighty Sparrow wrote his two (2) selections "Rope" & "Drunk & Disorderly"- the Calypso Monarch & Road March of 1972 & they condemned him- also interesting to hear Duke say he hated those two party tunes. If I remember I read where Sparrow's LP- "Hotter Than Ever" (1972) recorded in Jamaica sold out quickly and he had to print a knock off version of the LP. Remember, in 1970, Sparrow's records hit the market too late, giving Lord Kitchener (1922-2000) the opportunity to win the Road March with the ballad "Margie" (1970) in tribute to his then English wife Marjorie. Of cousrse, fast forward to 1987- Duke & Frankie McIntosh came out with "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" the LP had some classics "Get Up & Dance" & the Road March "Thunder"- sexy tune. 1988- he had Poison JW Records "Outrageous", "South Africa Must Be Free" "Acid Wash", "Please Explain". 1989- Party For Yuh Life- JW Records "Jamming Time" & "Yahhh". I believe he had "Radical" (1992)- Kitchener referenced the song in "No Wuk For Carnival" (1994). Duke died in 2009, of myeloma- a bone marrow cancer, in which the body doesn't produce enough red blood cells- red blood cells keep you alive, white blood cells fight off infections. He died just like Lord Shorty (1941-2000) & Lord Kitchener (1922-2000) in Mount Hope of myeloma.
Miss you Cuz RIP!❤🤍🖤🙏
Duke my favorite all time calypsian
L
My Absolutely FAVORITE
Mighty Duke (Kelvin Pope) (1932-2009) of Point Fortin, San Fernando, Trinidad W.I. Started his Calypso career in the 1950s'. He left a lucrative career at Shell (oil company) to write & sing Calypso. If I remember his first LP was released in 1964- Rough & Tumble Calypsoes- thank you Discogs!! He as Alvin Daniell pointed out won the Calypso Monarch four (4) consecutive years 1968- What Is Calypso? & Social Bacchanal, 1969- "Black & Beautiful"- similar to James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black & I'm Proud" (1968)- during the Black Power movement in 1968 with H. Rap Brown, Bobby Seale, Stokley Carmichael...."Visina" (I wish I could say I heard some of his Monarch tunes- if someone has the LPs or 45s if you post them on CZcams, your audience will be forever grateful). 1970- Black Power in Trinidad- "Brotherhood Of Man" & "See Through" and finally in 1971 "Melvin & Yvonne" I think? (I am off I know- somebody correct me). Also "Mathematical Formula". It's interesting to hear Duke say that in 1972- the year of the polio outbreak which claim 10 lives in Trinidad, the Mighty Sparrow wrote his two (2) selections "Rope" & "Drunk & Disorderly"- the Calypso Monarch & Road March of 1972 & they condemned him- also interesting to hear Duke say he hated those two party tunes. If I remember I read where Sparrow's LP- "Hotter Than Ever" (1972) recorded in Jamaica sold out quickly and he had to print a knock off version of the LP. Remember, in 1970, Sparrow's records hit the market too late, giving Lord Kitchener (1922-2000) the opportunity to win the Road March with the ballad "Margie" (1970) in tribute to his then English wife Marjorie. Of cousrse, fast forward to 1987- Duke & Frankie McIntosh came out with "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" the LP had some classics "Get Up & Dance" & the Road March "Thunder"- sexy tune. 1988- he had Poison JW Records "Outrageous", "South Africa Must Be Free" "Acid Wash", "Please Explain". 1989- Party For Yuh Life- JW Records "Jamming Time" & "Yahhh". I believe he had "Radical" (1992)- Kitchener referenced the song in "No Wuk For Carnival" (1994). Duke died in 2009, of myeloma- a bone marrow cancer, in which the body doesn't produce enough red blood cells- red blood cells keep you alive, white blood cells fight off infections. He died just like Lord Shorty (1941-2000) & Lord Kitchener (1922-2000) in Mount Hope of myeloma.
Wow...thanks for the history
Listening 2021
what im confused about is......i thought he was born in St Vincent then migrated to TnT, now he saying he was born in Tnt