From Rolling Stone · Ernesto Lechner · · 1m
Mighty Sparrow Dies at 91
Calypso legend Mighty Sparrow, Trinidad's Calypso icon, dies at 91 after brief illness.
In brief
Calypso legend Mighty Sparrow, Trinidad's Calypso icon, dies at 91 after brief illness. Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed king of calypso music, died at 91 after a brief illness. Originally reported by Rolling Stone.
Mighty Sparrow Dies
Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed king of calypso music, died on Sunday at age 91.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Trinidad and Tobago's Calypso icon, Slinger Francisco, known to the world as 'The Mighty Sparrow,'”
Daughter Announces Death
His daughter Karen Francisco confirmed he died after a brief illness.
Calypso Icon
He was an institution in entertainment, admired for his singing, songwriting, and mentorship.
Calypso Legacy
He won countless Calypso Monarch and Carnival Road March competitions, leaving a discography spanning calypso's evolution from the 1950s to 1980s.
Early Life
Born Slinger Francisco on July 9, 1935, in Grenada, he moved to Trinidad at age one.
Calypso Evolution
Calypso transformed from folk roots in the 1950s to jazz-infused splendor by the 1960s and funky soca by the 1980s.
The headline
Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed king of calypso music, died at 91 after a brief illness.
