Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
General => Entertainment & Culture Discussion => Topic started by: Swima on September 15, 2010, 06:36:14 AM
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Six AM today in Monsterrat I think
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http://www.youtube.com/v/28z5WFYK164
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Caribbean Soca Pioneer Dead At 56
CaribWorldNews, BRADES, Montserrat, Weds. Sept. 15, 2010:
http://www.caribbeanworldnews.com/middle_top_news_detail.php?mid=3926
Soca pioneer Arrow, whose hit song `Hot, Hot, Hot` made him famous internationally, has passed away at the age of 56.
The singer passed away this morning at his home in Montserrat after a battle with cancer, according to news reports. Born Alphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell, Arrow is regarded as the first superstar of soca.
He took up singing professionally in 1969 and in that same year was the runner up in the Montserrat Calypso King competition. He went on to win the title the following year. He released his first single, `Dance with Me, Woman` in 1972, and set up his own Arrow label in 1973. 1974 saw the release of debut album The Mighty Arrow on Target, followed in 1975 with Arrow Strikes Again.
He won the Road March competition at the 1975 St. Kitts festival with `Rummy Song.`
Arrow began to fuse calypso with other genres such as R&B, Zouk and salsa and in 1982 he worked with arranger Leston Paul and with his Multi National Force band to record the album `Hot Hot Hot.`
The title track became his first pan-Caribbean hit and the biggest selling soca hit of all time.
It was adopted as the theme song of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, and was later covered by David Johansen (in his Buster Poindexter alter ego), Menudo, and Babla & Kanchan.
Arrow also established himself as a businessman in Montserrat, owning the Arrow`s Manshop store in Plymouth. When it was destroyed by the Soufriere Hills volcanic eruption, he relocated to Salem. He organized a fundraising calypso festival on the island in 1996, in response to the devastation caused by the volcano.
Arrow continued to be much in demand in the Caribbean and most recently performed at the Cricket World Cup 2007 opening ceremonies with Shaggy, Byron Lee and Kevin Lyttle.
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falling soldier RIP star..
war
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RIP Soldier
Of all yuh tunes, dis was meh favourite
http://www.youtube.com/v/fk6mXlwk_u8
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I think his LP with him in boxing gear and sweating, attracted me plenty plenty to him....since ah small.
My favorite from him was 'dey music getting louder getting sweeter yeaaaaaaaaaaah, woman rolling dey boom boomm rolling dey boom boom' Wasn't his last performance on TnT soil the summit? Or was it his music 'hot hot hot played for one of the performances?" My mind telling me he did performed.
RIP Arrow. :( Meh boy Mighty Duke go show ya which stage to carry on on.
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RIP Arrow..my favorite non trini calypsonian.
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A sure sign of aging is watching the icons of your youth pass away... I first said that in 2003 with the deaths of John Ritter and Robert Palmer, and I feel that way again today with this news.
RIP Mr. Cassell... you did your family, your people, the region and the genre well :beermug:
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(http://mi-cache.legacy.com/legacy/images/Portraits/Alphonsus-Cassell-dead-145383783port.jpgx?w=117&h=151&option=1)
Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell (AP Photo)
Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell Obituary
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell, a soca musician who won global fame with his 1982 hit "Hot Hot Hot," died Wednesday. He was 60.
He died of complications from brain cancer at his home on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, said his brother, Justin Cassell, a singer-songwriter who often collaborated with him.
The highlight of his career was "Hot Hot Hot," Cassell said, adding that his brother also gained fame because "he took soca to all corners of the world."
"Arrow" Cassell was among the best-known artists of Caribbean-born soca, a music derived from soul and calypso that emphasizes music over lyrics.
"Calypso is political, tropical, slower," the musician told The Associated Press in a 1996 interview. "Soca is dance. 'Feeling Hot Hot Hot ...'. It makes you forget that there's a volcano and (remember) there's fun to be had."
At the time of the interview, Cassell was producing music that aimed to reassure Mo ntserrat residents who had been forced to leave their homes when the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995.
Owner of the Arrow's Man Shop clothing store, he also was among dozens of business owners forced to evacuate the British territory's capital, Plymouth.
"Arrow" Cassell was born on Nov. 16, 1949, into a family that produced two Calypso Kings at Montserrat's annual Christmas carnival. In the 1970s, he was influenced by the Trinidadian musician The Mighty Sparrow, long the undisputed international king of calypso. Cassell was crowned Monterrat's calypso king four times before focusing on his international career.
In the 1980s he performed on tours through Africa, the United States, Europe and Japan. He was considered Montserrat's most famous citizen, with his face on telephone cards issued by the Cable & Wireless company.
Cassell is survived by four children and two grandchildren. A funeral is scheduled for Oct. 1.
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http://www.youtube.com/v/673yUNwmXeQ
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Arrow and Sparrow were two of my heroes as a youngster back in T&T. Even when he sang man must live there was an exuberance in his voice. My all time fav was Drunken Party. Frst time I ever had the privaledge of dancing with a woman was to that tune at a wedding reception in Lion's club!
Arrow=Legend
RIP
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R.I.P. Arrow...
Thank you for the music!
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I first saw Arrow at SWWTU(OYB) hall in 75. His calypso was a bit different with a peppy salsa/merengue beat. From then he just took off, culminating with Hot, Hot, Hot. RIP SOCA MAN. It was well worth!!!!!!!
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When i read this to day on this site the first thought that came too me was his son AJ and AJ mother ,the son also sing he wanted to be like his father, i could just imagine how this mash him up .rip in peace bro i hope AJ and his mom stay strong .
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:whew:
At first I thought it was our one liner sarcastic heights poster yes...
May his passing be an end to his suffering.
RIP
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Internationally acclaimed recording artiste Alphonsus “Arrow” Cassell has died at his home in Montserrat at the age of 60.
A statement from his family says Arrow, who had penned several hits had been diagnosed with cerebral cancer in early 2009.
He was airlifted to the neighbouring island of Antigua last week for treatment.
Arrow, who won the local calypso monarch competition on four occasions before focusing exclusively on his recording and touring career, shot to international fame with his 1982 smash hit “Hot, Hot, Hot”.
Source: Gleaner/Power 106 News :whew:
At first I thought it was our one liner sarcastic heights poster yes...
May his passing be an end to his suffering.
RIP
I would have thought so if I had not read on d Gleaner.
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:whew:
At first I thought it was our one liner sarcastic heights poster yes...
RIP
me too
boy I tort so too, whey he anyways
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RIP.
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Thank you, Mr Hot, Hot, Hot
T&T Guardian
He will forever be known by the hook line “feeling hot, hot, hot.”
The Mighty Arrow, Alphonsus Cassell, made a very significant contribution to taking soca international, his 1982 calypso becoming the iconic soca piece in North America, Europe and elsewhere. Notwithstanding the fact of Sparrow, Melody, Kitchener, SuperBlue and the young generation of soca singers led by Machel Montano, Arrow was arguably the biggest superstar of soca to have come out of the Caribbean.
We record his passing at the relatively early age of 60, reportedly from cancer, with good memories and words of thanks for being amongst the first soca artists to take the music abroad, impacting big on audiences who would not have normally come into contact with the music of T&T and the Caribbean. In such circumstances we cannot be parochial, seeking to confine the music to this country and the artists who have come out of here. By doing what he did to place soca on the popular music charts of Europe and America, Arrow and his Hot, Hot, Hot signature piece opened up markets for those who would follow.
While Cassell was from Montserrat, he never sought to claim that soca was the creation of his country, or for that matter his own form of the music. He always said he loved the parental music of soca, calypso, and that he got his inspiration and sense of showmanship from the Mighty Sparrow. He went as far as taking part of Sparrow’s name—“Arrow”—for his own, in itself a tremendous tribute to the acknowledged King of Calypso. That he was never charged with seeking to convert his island into the home of soca and crown himself king of the musical form that evolved with Shorty, Arrow boosted his popularity when he performed here.
Only last year April during the Summit of the Americas, Arrow performed in the glittering production of mas man Brian MacFarlane. He was no doubt invited because the visiting delegations would have been able to identify with Hot, Hot, Hot, the familiar and popular soca piece which resonated with audiences in parts of the metropole.
With the reports since his death indicating that he had been fighting the cancer for two years, he must have performed here at the Summit under difficult personal circumstances. But clearly Arrow did not want to miss the gig as he was someone who always relished the opportunity to expose soca music to new audiences. Arrow also doubled in the role of a businessman in his native island. There he developed his own record label, had recording facilities on the island, and clothes shops and other forms of business operations.
This must certainly have demonstrated to his fellow entertainers throughout the eastern Caribbean and here in T&T, the home of the calypso and the spawning place for the bards, that they have the capacity to rise from the historical circumstances of calypso and steelband. Arrow also made a tremendous contribution to the tourism economy of his island. The tourist board of Montserrat used his music and images widely to promote the island in North America and Europe. Undoubtedly, some of that promotion of soca in a Caribbean island must have rubbed off in other tourism economies around the region.
Perhaps there is a lesson here for the local soca industry to follow to expose the music abroad in non-traditional markets. To follow his lead would extend the contribution and name of the Hot, Hot, Hot man out of Montserrat beyond his time here with us; he was part of the West Indian family who shared the calypso and soca artforms of T&T.
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Arrow’s passing invokes thought among artistes
By Aba A. Luke (T&T Guardian)
The Caribbean mourns the death of musical veteran, Arrow. Yesterday at the age of 55, the man whose soca anthem, Hot, Hot, Hot rang out across borders and bridged musical gaps, allowing for many Caribbean soca and calypso entertainers to be eventually heard, lost his battle with brain cancer at a hospital in Antigua. A national of Montserrat, Arrow (real name Alphonsus Edmund Cassel), shot to stardom in 1982 with the infectious Hot, Hot, Hot chorus that has become synonymous, to most, if not all tourists with the words sun, sea, sand and the Caribbean islands.
Arrow has been credited with taking soca music to the world, as prior to his hit, the genre had been unknown to people outside the Caribbean territory. In his native Montserrat, he was coined a businessman and international soca star— titles he’ll forever be decorated by among both his musical peers and the people who knew him best.
A shock crazy responds
In T&T, calypso artistes reacted in shock to the news that Arrow had died. “Arrow died?,” uttered Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung. His disbelief was present throughout his five-minute chat with the Guardian. “When Arrow came to Trinidad, he was with me all the time. I was the only man in Trinidad he used to ride with,” he said. In 2009, Crazy performed alongside Arrow in Montserrat and according to him, it was the last time Arrow had performed on stage. “I knew he was sick, but recently I saw him and he was looking well.” Ayoung said he would remember Arrow most for his song Soca Rhumba to which he offered chorus vocals. “This is a shocker to me. I will miss him,” said Crazy.
Tuco head pays respect
Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba, interim president of Tuco said: “Certainly his passing is a great loss for the music industry as a whole. I think that the success he had with Hot, Hot, Hot was a point of reference for calypso music as a whole in these modern times.
“I always admired his work ethic and the way he went about the business of what he was doing and I would have learnt from that in terms of how I conducted my business.” Masimba extended condolences to Arrow’s family, friends and business associates on behalf of the members of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation.
Winchester analyses
Arrow’s music has even had a positive effect on young Trinbagonian entertainers, among them Shurwayne Winchester. “It’s a great loss,” he said, adding that Arrow’s Hot Hot Hot was one of the biggest soca tracks ever recorded. It’s the song most used in ads that depict Caribbean soca flavour and music—world music.” Shurwayne highlighted that Arrow’s island anthem is also the song recorded in the most languages.
“For tourism, on the cruise ships and at resorts, tourists request that song over any other,” he admitted, further stating that in one song, the veteran artiste had given generations that followed, so much.
Winchester then pondered the state of our local industry, highlighting that while many young artistes were producing hits, the question remained as to whether this era’s music would prove lasting over time.
“On any cruise ship, any fete, any event, if you want to see 100 per cent impact, you must go with the foundation music. “Kitchener, Merchant, Sparrow and Arrow have given us a lot to work with. The icons are passing on and we have to wonder if we are up to their standard. Do we have songs that will be remembered for years to come?”
(http://guardian.co.tt/files/imagecache/article_main_image/articles/images/ARROW%20%20CRAZY.png)
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One of my favourites.
RIP Arrow.
VB
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I guh buss s story here.. The very first soca / calypso cassette I ever bought was arrow. RIP Soldier . The original was hot and still hot but I love this remake.. RIP Star
war
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(http://www.seenennennews.com/main/2010_Projects/Arrow.jpg)
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Much to mourn with passing of Arrow
T&T Guardian
Like so many others, I am stunned and deeply saddened at the untimely demise of Alphonsus “Fonzie” Cassell, the Mighty Arrow.
Montserrat’s most celebrated son emerged as a positive, dynamic and richly talented entertainer.
An astute entrepreneur as well, Arrow was proprietor of a snazzy men’s boutique in Plymouth and a recording company.
We first met when I emceed with Tommy Joseph at Calypso Spektakula in 1983, the year this soca whirlwind dropped his monster hit Hot, Hot, Hot that rapidly ignited into an international phenomenon.
“Fonzie” was blessed with a cool, amiable, and charismatic personality and his command of the stage was simply masterful. Genuinely likeable and always engaging, his classic, youthful good looks magnetised him to the women.
With his passing, Montserrat and the world of calypso entertainment have much to mourn but even more to remember and honour.
David Elcock
New York
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Statement on the death of calypsonian 'Arrow'
trinidadandtobagonews.com
Statement on the death of calypsonian 'Arrow' on behalf of the Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism
The Honourable Minister of Arts & Multiculturalism Mr. Winston Peters wishes to express his deep sympathy over the sudden passing of soca pioneer Alphonsus Cassell, better known as Arrow.
Mr. Cassell, or Arrow, as he was known worldwide, was one of the true trailblazers of the soca art form and he travelled the world promoting the rich indigenous music of the Caribbean.
Arrow was a debonair and versatile entertainer, known for his dashing stage character, infectious music, exciting lyrics and easy-going, friendly personality.
His death is a loss, not only to his native Montserrat and the wider Caribbean but to everyone and everywhere where soca is heard and appreciated.
Arrow's "Hot, Hot, Hot" of 1982 was his seminal piece of work and remains the largest-selling soca number. It has been performed by an innumerable number of international artistes and was also utilised by the corporate business community.
In a prolific singing career that began at age 10, Arrow performed a wide array of songs, from the socially conscious to his signature party, feel-good numbers.
Minister Peters hails Arrow's enormous contribution to Caribbean identity and nationhood. He performed around the world with Arrow and was proud to have him as a close friend.
He extends condolences to Mr. Cassell's family and friends and the people of Monsterrat.
Minister Peters has indicated his intention to attend the funeral of this outstanding Caribbean entertainer as an official representative of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago.
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A sure sign of aging is watching the icons of your youth pass away... I first said that in 2003 with the deaths of John Ritter and Robert Palmer, and I feel that way again today with this news.
RIP Mr. Cassell... you did your family, your people, the region and the genre well :beermug:
couldn't agree with yuh more son.....one of meh favorites was groove master...bad tune.RIP arrow.
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Queen you went Junior Sec in 82?
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Queen you went Junior Sec in 82?
No I am a Holy Name Convent girl.
My cousin teaches at MJS though and this was one of my first trips back home. She invited me along to see Arrow and Explainer perform that day....I think Chalky was there too.
This is probably one of my first (celeb) photos I ever took...
Because of my cousin, MJS has a special place in my heart. I was there to launch my book in 2007 and they invited me back again to chat with some of the senior students.
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Queen you went Junior Sec in 82?
No I am a Holy Name Convent girl.
My cousin teaches at MJS though and this was one of my first trips back home. She invited me along to see Arrow and Explainer perform that day....I think Chalky was there too.
This is probably one of my first (celeb) photos I ever took...
Because of my cousin, MJS has a special place in my heart. I was there to launch my book in 2007 and they invited me back again to chat with some of the senior students.
My mother teach there for over 25 years... so she probably know yuh cousin well. I probably know yuh cousin too
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She would most certainly know my cousin. ;D
She's a special person - helped to raise me. I'll leave her name out of this but here's a hint. When you talk to your moms. My cousin teaches Math.
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She would most certainly know my cousin. ;D
She's a special person - helped to raise me. I'll leave her name out of this but here's a hint. When you talk to your moms. My cousin teaches Math.
That is senior comp uniforms there by the way
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I know both schools were in the hall so forgive me is I didn't big up both...
I was a kid myself and this was a long time ago...
Can you tell which assembly hall that was so I can change the info??
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One of my favorites . Party Mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5-ZqmAp9Ms&feature=artist
Hey Poky-Away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85rnfXnMFKw&feature=related
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I know both schools were in the hall so forgive me is I didn't big up both...
I was a kid myself and this was a long time ago...
Can you tell which assembly hall that was so I can change the info??
Two things strike me about the photos... first is Arrow outfit :rotfl:
Next is that he performing here in '82, when he was already a star (even if Dave Elcock say "Hot, Hot, Hot" drop ah year later)... big coup fuh ah school to pull dat off.
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Two things strike me about the photos... first is Arrow outfit :rotfl:
Next is that he performing here in '82, when he was already a star (even if Dave Elcock say "Hot, Hot, Hot" drop ah year later)... big coup fuh ah school to pull dat off.
The miltary fatigue business was a style back then I think. That and them heavy boots in the hot sun.
Won't argue with Elcock, but it is a fact that Hot Hot Hot hit the scene in 1982, the same year that Minshall redefined mas with "Papillon". It was one of the reasons I was home. (for Minshall not Arrow - Arrow was an unexpected treat).
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Two things strike me about the photos... first is Arrow outfit :rotfl:
Next is that he performing here in '82, when he was already a star (even if Dave Elcock say "Hot, Hot, Hot" drop ah year later)... big coup fuh ah school to pull dat off.
The miltary fatigue business was a style back then I think. That and them heavy boots in the hot sun.
Won't argue with Elcock, but it is a fact that Hot Hot Hot hit the scene in 1982, the same year that Minshall redefined mas with "Papillon". It was one of the reasons I was home. (for Minshall not Arrow - Arrow was an unexpected treat).
Me eh mind de camouflage smedium shirt... but de lime green faux overalls and tan cowboy boots take de cake fuh me, lol
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As seen on the New York Times obituary page (he arrived fuh sure!)
Arrow, Soca Musician, Dies at 6o
SAN JUAN, P.R. (AP) — Arrow, a soca musician who won global fame with his 1983 hit “Hot Hot Hot,” died on Wednesday at his home on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. He was 60.
The cause was complications of brain cancer, said his brother, Justin Cassell, a singer-songwriter who often collaborated with him.
Arrow, whose real name was Alphonsus Cassell, was among the best-known artists of Caribbean-born soca, a fusion music with roots in calypso.
“Calypso is political, tropical, slower,” Arrow told The Associated Press in a 1996 interview. “Soca is dance. ‘Feeling Hot Hot Hot.’ ” Many North Americans also heard the song in a cover version by Buster Poindexter.
Alphonsus Cassell was born on Nov. 16, 1949, into a musical family. In the 1970s he was influenced by the Trinidadian musician the Mighty Sparrow, long the international king of calypso. He was crowned Calypso King at Monterrat’s annual Christmas carnival four times before focusing on an international career.
In 1975 Arrow released “Monique,” a fusion of calypso with the cadence rhythms of Guadeloupe and Martinique. In later albums he continued to mix and match dance rhythms, adding bits of Dominican merengue, Venezuelan and Cuban salsa, Jamaican reggae, hip-hop, African music and American rock and country. His songs also moved away from calypso’s traditional role as social and political comment.
In the 1980s he performed on tours in Africa, the United States, Europe and Japan.
Arrow is survived by four children and two grandchildren.
“My first three or four albums were very strong lyrically,” he told The New York Times in 1989, “but that kind of song lacked commercial appeal. People want music to enjoy themselves with. This is the whole message of my music: ‘Have a good time, enjoy yourself.’ ”
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so was he 56 or 60?
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so was he 56 or 60?
Being born Nov.16th 1949 would make him 60 this year and he would have been batting at 61 if he had survived passed his birthday in November!
Sad news that another Soca icon has bite the dust!
I believe over use of computer technology and the non-reliance on proper musicains is having a toll on the quality of music being produced today!
Back in tha day when talented musicans like Ed Watson & Leston Paul were arranging most of the early soca hits they used a bit of the latest computer terchnology to give the music a modern uptodate feel but real musicians playing real instruments who knew and studied music were being used by our soca stars in the recording studios.
I think this is why the quality of most of the soca tracks being produced today has suffered and don't pass the test of time! These days its mainly about fast food music to last one season (or one year) and then most of it is throw away (put aside and forgotten) when the new batch of fast food music comes out again next year! :(
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Being born Nov.16th 1949 would make him 60 this year and he would have been batting at 61 if he had survived passed his birthday in November!
Sad news that another Soca icon has bite the dust!
I believe over use of computer technology and the non-reliance on proper musicains is having a toll on the quality of music being produced today!
Back in tha day when talented musicans like Ed Watson & Leston Paul were arranging most of the early soca hits they used a bit of the latest computer terchnology to give the music a modern uptodate feel but real musicians playing real instruments who knew and studied music were being used by our soca stars in the recording studios.
I think this is why the quality of most of the soca tracks being produced today has suffered and don't pass the test of time! These days is mainly about fast food music to last one season one year and then most of it is throw away when the new batch comes out new year! :D
I've seen his age as 56 and as 60 which put the 1949 date in question.
I hear you on the fast food music thing. But everyone seems to be doing that - from Gaga to JW and Blaise. There was a time when "Palance" and "yuh wha sorrel or wha" would have been a rum shop joke for a few weeks instead oif a viral hit.
But say what...talent is being redefined and being able to actually sing, dance or play an instrument is for geeks.
too bad though...
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Being born Nov.16th 1949 would make him 60 this year and he would have been batting at 61 if he had survived passed his birthday in November!
Sad news that another Soca icon has bite the dust!
I believe over use of computer technology and the non-reliance on proper musicains is having a toll on the quality of music being produced today!
Back in tha day when talented musicans like Ed Watson & Leston Paul were arranging most of the early soca hits they used a bit of the latest computer terchnology to give the music a modern uptodate feel but real musicians playing real instruments who knew and studied music were being used by our soca stars in the recording studios.
I think this is why the quality of most of the soca tracks being produced today has suffered and don't pass the test of time! These days is mainly about fast food music to last one season one year and then most of it is throw away when the new batch comes out new year! :D
I've seen his age as 56 and as 60 which put the 1949 date in question.
I hear you on the fast food music thing. But everyone seems to be doing that - from Gaga to JW and Blaise. There was a time when "Palance" and "yuh wha sorrel or wha" would have been a rum shop joke for a few weeks instead oif a viral hit.
But say what...talent is being redefined and being able to actually sing, dance or play an instrument is for geeks.
too bad though...
Wikipedia has his date of birth as November 16, 1949 so i think its safe to go with that!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_(musician) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_(musician))
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Being born Nov.16th 1949 would make him 60 this year and he would have been batting at 61 if he had survived passed his birthday in November!
Sad news that another Soca icon has bite the dust!
I believe over use of computer technology and the non-reliance on proper musicains is having a toll on the quality of music being produced today!
Back in tha day when talented musicans like Ed Watson & Leston Paul were arranging most of the early soca hits they used a bit of the latest computer terchnology to give the music a modern uptodate feel but real musicians playing real instruments who knew and studied music were being used by our soca stars in the recording studios.
I think this is why the quality of most of the soca tracks being produced today has suffered and don't pass the test of time! These days is mainly about fast food music to last one season one year and then most of it is throw away when the new batch comes out new year! :D
I've seen his age as 56 and as 60 which put the 1949 date in question.
I hear you on the fast food music thing. But everyone seems to be doing that - from Gaga to JW and Blaise. There was a time when "Palance" and "yuh wha sorrel or wha" would have been a rum shop joke for a few weeks instead oif a viral hit.
But say what...talent is being redefined and being able to actually sing, dance or play an instrument is for geeks.
too bad though...
Wikipedia has his date of birth as November 16, 1949 so i think its safe to go with that!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_(musician) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_(musician))
When I checked wikipedia on Sep 15, they had his birth date as 1954. I remember that because i was thinking that if he was born in 54, then he would have been runner up runner up in the Montserrat Calypso King competition at age 15 which seemed a bit young to me.
Looks like Wikipedia update the birth date. That make more sense now.
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So long Soca king
By Mark Sandell (BBC)
Montserrat said goodbye to its favourite son yesterday. Half the island's 5,000 population packed into the Cultural Centre to give thanks for the life of Alphonsus 'Arrow' Cassell in a service which – although sombre - had real moments of warm humour.
The Cultural Centre nestles in the hills near the island's airport - it is overlooked by Arrow's Man Shop on one side and is next to a cricket pitch on the other, both representing two of the Soca King's passions; commerce and cricket (he loved the game in general, and Brian Lara in particular).
His others – music, his family of course and his country – were all reflected in the two hour service which, appropriately enough took place in temperatures that were Hot, Hot, Hot.
His arrow-shaped, red-decked coffin fittingly took centre stage, flanked by black curtains featuring golden arrows pointing to the sky. The venue was the Sir George Martin Auditorium, and this worked too as the legendary Beatles producer (and Montserrat resident) was an early champion of the then fledgling Calypso talent that Arrow was.
The mourners wore mainly black but many wore red too and those that couldn't fit in were accommodated outside in sweltering tents with televisions showing the service. Some of the tributes were in song but others like long-time friend Enid Laukam from Trinidad gave a real glimpse of the early years of Arrow's career.
Enid talked about how Arrow came to play at the Trinidad carnival and wasn't well-liked by the other Calypsonians. She said it was because they feared his talent, "and his songs were catchy and jumpy and he was a hit with the ladies".
At the end, she told the audience: "Montserrat. Montserratians; Arrow loved you".
At the other end of Arrow's life, AJ – one of his sons - brought laughter when he described a conversation he had with his father as he lay seriously ill with cerebral cancer: AJ asked him if he was feeling strong: Arrow replied, "Like I could lift a car. This is not a strength-related illness son!"
And his business colleague John Wyke finished his tribute by suggesting that Arrow would be "teaching Soca to the angels".
Afterwards, the funeral procession left for Arrow's home in Lime Kiln. A beautiful villa with views that someone said , with black humour, were "to die for". Around 200 sang hymns as the arrow-shaped casket was lowered into the ground in his garden.
There's talk now of making that villa an Arrow museum and there are plans for a National Arrow Day but there's no danger of his being forgotten. As one relative wrote in the order of service:
"He had a heart of gold, a voice of silver and a spirit bigger than either his physical stature – or his country".
Groove Master laid to rest
nationnews.com
SOCA GROOVE MASTER Alphonsus Arrow Cassell was laid to rest earlier today following a more than two hour long funeral service.
Arrow passed away on September 15, after losing the battle with brain cancer.
His body arrived at the Montserrat Cultural Centre at 10 a.m. in a red and yellow-trimmed cedar coffin of a 3D conceptual arrow. Some traditional hymns were also rearranged to bring a folk feel to the 2 p.m. funeral service that was preceded by a private ceremony for the family at the St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Lookout.
A steady stream of onlookers viewed the body as it lay in repose at the Cultural Centre, four hours before the funeral service began.
Local entertainer Red Plastic Bag (RPB) and Edwin Yearwood, former members of Arrow’s Multinational Force Band, Short Shirt, Swallow, Leston Paul and Onyan of Burning Flames were among those from the entertainment fraternity attending the funeral, which attracted dignitaries from throughout the Caribbean.
Chief Minister of Montserrat Reuben Meade, Minister of Culture, Carnival and Independence Aleston Namba Adams, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, Chairman of Antigua’s Carnival Vaughn Walters and Trinidad’s Minister of Art and Multiculturalism Winston Gypsy Peters were also in attendance.
Even though his passing has been a blow to the fraternity, the service was more celebratory than solemn as mourners packed the building, spilling on to the outside.
Prime Minister Spencer and Gypsy were among those who joined family members in paying glowing tribute to the life and work of the man who took calypso and the Caribbean to the world.
The celebrations continued well after the funeral service with a concert at the Montserrat Cultural Centre.
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The man bury in he own garden yes... lovely. Sounds like they struck a perfect balance between solemnity, tribute and festivity.