Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

66 ALDWYN ROBERTS (LORD KITCHENER) (1922-2000) A ldwyn Roberts (better known as Lord Kitchener, Kitch and the Grandmaster) was born in Arima. His career lasted over sixty years and he became a calypso superstar along with the Mighty Sparrow. Both men ruled the calypso world during the 1960s and 1970s. His calypsoes covered every imaginable topic, including social and political events. He recorded over forty albums, winning the annual Carnival Road March a record ten times. His songs were very popular with steel bands and the steelband Renegades won most of their Panorama crowns playing his songs, arranged by Jit Samaroo. He started composing and singing calypsos as a teenager when he joined a roving tent that performed at cinemas. Lord Kitchener was the name of a 19th century British army hero. After the 1947 carnival season he migrated to England, where he had a successful career as a calypsonian. Upon returning to Trinidad for the 1963 Carnival season he formed the Calypso Revue tent which has nurtured the development of many calypsonians over the years. He won one calypso crown in 1975 with Tribute to Spree Simon and Fever and won ten Road March titles with tunes like The Road, Miss Tourist, Rainorama and Flag Woman. Over the years, his genius has appealed to commoners and royalty alike. US President Harry S. Truman and Princess Margaret were known to enjoy his music. One statue and one bust of the Lord Kitchener have been sculpted; the former in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, the other in Arima. • 1969 Humming Bird Medal Silver Note: Calypso/soca artistes such as Machel Montano (1974- ), Superblue (Austin Lyons)/(1956- ) and Lord Nelson (Robert Nelson)/(1931- ) have become legendary in the artform as they carry on the legacy of the earlier greats.