The Mighty Sparrow, the Trinidadian calypso legend who spent more than six decades captivating audiences around the world, has died at the age of 91.
Sparrow, whose real name was Slinger Francisco, died on Sunday at a hospital in Queens. His death was announced by his daughter, Karen Francisco.
Often regarded as the king of calypso, Sparrow played a major role in taking the music of Trinidad and Tobago to international audiences. Although he was sometimes described as the last of the true calypso singers, his career was marked by both preserving the genre’s traditions and reshaping them.
A singer, songwriter and guitarist, Sparrow was celebrated for his powerful voice, boundless energy and remarkable use of clever wordplay and double entendre, key features of traditional calypso lyrics.
He began his professional career in the mid-1950s and went on to become one of the most influential figures in calypso music.
