Several of the nation’s pioneers in calypso music were honoured at the local version of the Sunshine Awards 2014 which was held at the National Academy for the Preforming Arts last Wednesday night.
The awards, which were created in 1989 by Gilman T Figaro, to recognise excellence in the performing arts, education, science and sports in the entire Caribbean region, have grown immensely and now includes countries of South America, Central America and Africa.
The ceremony for this year was held in New York in October and the committee organised a local version because several of the icons who were recognised could not make it to New York.
Co-founder Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool joked that the awards had become so popular that he remembered once giving the award to an artiste from Antigua and their government gave the entire country a day off for the achievement.
At age 91 ‘Bajan’ Cecil Ward received an award for his contribution to steel pan arrangement. Ward is most known for the help and inspiration that he gave to renowned ping pong solo winner Sonny Roach. Ward was present to collect his award and was given a rousing round of applause.
Another stalwart of the local arts who was honoured was Fitzroy Coleman. Coleman was named as one of the top 100 greatest jazz guitarists of all time last year and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Sunshine Awards. Attorney Ainsley Lucky lamented the fact that it took nearly 68 years for the aged musician to get any recognition. Coleman is also 91 years old.
Also placed in the Hall of Fame were Shadow, Sugar Aloes and Roy Cape.
Cape was thankful to his orphanage for helping him get into music and Chalkdust mused about a tour that the two did together in Sweden where Cape was offered citizenship but turned it down.
Also present at the function was Minister of Community Development Winston Peters who said he was proud to give support to the Sunshine awards and would always continue to make sure that the arts are fairly treated.
