Mighty Sparrow dies in New York at 91, family says

Slinger Francisco, the calypsonian known as the Mighty Sparrow, died in New York on Sunday at age 91, according to his family. The People's Tribune reported that Francisco, who was born in Grenada and raised in Trinidad, died peacefully after a brief illness.

The People's Tribune reported that Sparrow won Trinidad and Tobago's Calypso Monarch or Calypso King title eight times, as well as the Carnival Road March competition eight times. He also won the Calypso King of Kings competition in 1985 and 1988.

According to The People's Tribune, Sparrow was born on 9 July 1935 in Grand Roy, Grenada, and grew up in Laventille near Port of Spain after moving to Trinidad as a child. In 1956, he won the Calypso Monarch and Road March titles with “Jean and Dinah”.

The People's Tribune reported that he later recorded for RCA Victor and made New York a base for recording and touring. His honours included Trinidad and Tobago's Chaconia Gold Medal, an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from The University of the West Indies, the Order of the Caribbean Community in 2001 and appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2015.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness called Sparrow “a true Caribbean music icon and legend” in a tribute reported by The People's Tribune.