The Bass Man SHADOW’S LEGACY OF LOVE
Winston Bailey “For I believe in the stars in the dark night, I believe in sun in the daylight, I believe in the little children, I believe in life and its problems” (From ‘My Belief’, The Mighty Shadow) Trinidad and Tobago mourned the loss of one of its most prolific calypsonians, Winston Bailey, who died on 23rd October, 2018, just a few days before The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, was scheduled to bestow an honorary Doctorate on the beloved icon. But to many, the ‘Bass Man’ lives on. His distinctive music is indeed immortal. Born in Belmont, Trinidad on October 2nd 1941, The Mighty Shadow, spent his childhood in Les Coteaux, Tobago; a village that inspired many of his songs including the classic, ‘Pay The Devil’. With his skeletal body suit, unique hop-on-one-spot dance, a nod to the macabre, Shadow took the music world by storm in 1974. His musical versatility, lyrics and melodies were unmatched. His social commentary was delivered with humour (“Yuh Looking for Horn”) and more than a touch of irony (“Poverty is Hell”). He remained a staunch defender of artists, at times attacking bootleggers (“Pirates”)and bureaucracy (“Tension”). But even the most satirical songs held an underlying message of love and unity (“My Belief” and “One Love”). His trademark vocal tremble and irresistibly infectious musical arrangements gained him respect among the creative community and diehard fans. He won the Carnival Road March titles in 1974 and 2001, with “Bassman” and “Stranger”, respectively; as well as the Calypso Monarch title in 2000. He was awarded the T&T Hummingbird Silver Medal in 2003 by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Few artists have made such a profound impact on the genre, with songs that were all titans. Quite simply, the Shadow had it all.
Photo: Andrea de Silva
a True Trinbagonian
By Sheldon Waithe