Caribbean Affairs in the USA

• Did you know that the first LP to sell 1 million in any genre of music is a calypso album called “Calypso” by Harry Belafonte in 1956?

• Are you aware that the famous Beatles got their start from a Trinidadian calypsonian named Lord Woodbine (Harold Phillips) in Liverpool, England?

• Did you know that the Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, was a calypso singer in the 50’s and was called Calypso Gene and later The Charmer?

• Did you know that the first instrumental calypso recorded in 1912 was by The Lovey’s band?

• Did you know that the first vocal calypso was recorded in 1914 by Jules Sims?

• Did you know that the Mighty Sparrow recorded over 90 LP’s, 80 45’s as well as 40 CD’s during his career so far?

• Did you that The Lord Invader’s 1944 calypso “Rum and Coca Cola” sell over 7 million copies in a cover version by the Andrew Sisters?

• Did you know that the following very famous artistes sung and recorded calypsos: Robert Mitchum, Louis Farrakhan, Dizzy Gillespie, Ace Cannon, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Julio Inglesas, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordon, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Marvin Gaye, Hugo Blanco, Maya Angelou, and many others?