Carnival 1966 OCC Award, February 2001

MIGHTY  SPARROW REAL NAME: Slinger Francisco DATE OF BIRTH: July 9, 1935 PLACE OF BIRTH: Gran Roi, Grenada EDUCATION: Newtown Boys' RC, Newtown, Port-of-Spain CAREER:                                Sparrow was born in Grenada, but was less than two years old when his family migrated to Trinidad in 1937. He made his professional debut in 1954 at the Old Brigade Tent where he sang as the Little Sparrow. In 1956, he changed his name to The Mighty Sparrow, moved to the Young Brigade Tent, and won both the Calypso King and Road March titles; he repeated this double-crown feat in 1960 and 1972. As his popularity increased, Sparrow would come to be known as "Birdie." In a distinguished career that began in the mid-1950s, Sparrow won a total of eight Calypso King titles: 1956, "Jean and Dinah"; 1960, "Ten to One" and "Mae Mae"; 1962, "Sparrow Come Back Home" and "Federation"; 1963, "Dan Is The Man in the Van" and "Kennedy and Kruschev"; 1972, "Drunk and Disorderly" and "Rope"; 1973, "Happy School Days" and "Same Time Same Place"; 1974, "Miss Mary" and "We Pass That Stage"; 1992, "Both of Dem" and "Crown Heights Justice."                                                     Sparrow also won eight Road March titles: 1956, "Jean and Dinah"; 1958, "Pay as You Earn"; 1960, "Mae Mae"; 1961, "Royal Jail"; 1966, "Obeah Wedding"; 1969, "Sa Sa Yea"; 1972, "Drunk and Disorderly"; 1984, "Doh Back Back." His calypsoes were played by four steelband Panorama winners: 1963 - Dan Is The Man In The Van (North Stars); 1966 - Obeah Wedding (Desperadoes); 1971 - Queen of The Bands (Starlift); 1978 - Du Du Yemi (Starlift).                                                     Sparrow has received numerous awards throughout his career. He received the ultimate honor in July 2001 when his statue was installed in the community of St. Ann's. His other calypsoes include: 1954 - The Parrot and The Monkey 1955 - Race Track; The Missing Baby; High Cost of Living; Ode to Princess Margaret 1956 - Jack Palance; Queen's Canary; Sparrow's Dream; Thirteen-Year-Old Mabel 1957 - Carnival Boycott; Sailor Man; No Doctor No 1958 - Theresa; Russian Satellite; Melody Lie; Monica Doo Doo 1959 - Gunslingers; Mr. Herbert; Simpson; Reply to Melody; P.A.Y.E.; Teresa 1960 - Keep The City Clean; Leave the Damn Doctor 1961 - The Princess and The Cameraman; Rose; Madam Dracula 1962 - Model Nation 1963 - Outcast; Elaine and Harry; A Fool and His Money; Calypso Twist 1964 - Bullpistle Gang; Village Ram 1965 - No Bacchanal; Patsy; Get to Hell Outa Here; Bermuda Girl; Congo Man 1966 - Bag Ah Sugar; Shanty Town People; Going Home Tonight; The Rebel; Honesty; BG Plantain; Papa Jack; Sir Garfield Sobers; Bikini Girl 1967 - Education 1968 - Mr. Walker 1969 - Lizard 1970 - Love One Another; Lend A Hand; Panman; Grampa's Advice; Sweeter Than You; Learn to Cook; Shake Your Waist; Sell The Pussy; Wilhemena; Saturday Night; Chinese Love Affair; Dutch Romance 1971 - Good Citizen 1973 - My Connie; No Kind of Man At All; School Days; Same Time Same Place 1975 - Neurosis of the Rich 1976 - Salt Fish; We Kind of Music; How You Jamming So; Statue 1977 - Crawford; Education A Must; Carnival Woman 1978 - The First Black Miss Universe; Idi Amin 1979 - Kerry Packer 1980 - Wanted Dead or Alive 1981 - Human Rights 1982 - We Like It So, Sexy Marajhin 1983 - Phillip My Dear; Capitalism Gone Mad 1985 - Soca Pressure 1986 - Coke Is Not It 1987 - Lying Excuses 1988 - Dr. Bird 1989 - Manje; Dutch Romance 1990 - Let the Music Play 1991 - We Could Make It Easy If We Try; Precious 1992 - Fight for Survival; Man Will Survive 1993 - Put On Your Dancing Shoes; More The Merrier 1994 - Age Is Just A Number; Salvation 1995 - Democracy In Haiti; This Is Madness 1996 - OJ; Royal Divorce 1998 - Paramaribo; Santo Domingo; Racism; Willie Dead; Raperman; Born to Love; Don't Give It Up 2003 - Meet Meh Family Also - Winer Girl; Sandra; Maria; Alien Woman; Slave; Hello People; Save the World; Memories; A Mother's Love; Kennedy and Khrushchev; Carnival Boycott; Both of Them AWARDS: 1969 - Trinidad & Tobago Humming Bird Medal Silver (for Calypso) 1987 - Honorary Doctorate of Letters, University of the West Indies 1993 - Trinidad & Tobago Chaconia Medal Gold (for Calypso) 2001 - Order of the Caribbean Community 2002 - Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Award, Jamerican Film and Music Festival 2006 - Bollywood Music Award (Special Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Global Music) 2015 - Order of the British Empire (OBE) Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit