Legends
Lord Invader
Lord Invader's music is featured throughout this website in tribute to his original compositions, his recording of traditional stick fighting lavueys and distinctive singing.
Biography
"Lord Invader", Rupert Westmore Grant, Trinidad, W.I. December 13, 1914,- 15 October 1961, was a prominent calypsonian with a very distinctive, gravelly voice.
He was born in San Fernando, Trinidad. Invader became active in calypso in the mid-1930s. His tailor is said to have given him his sobriquet by commenting, "I tell you, Rupert, you should call yourself Lord Invader so when you go up to the city you be invadin' the capital." With a new name, in 1937 he went to Trinidad's capital city Port of Spain and began his career in earnest.
He competed in many calypso competitions, including the very first Calypso King competition, and recorded for RCA Bluebird. Lured by Decca Records, he travelled to New York City in 1941 with other calypsonians such as Roaring Lion and Atilla the Hun to make records and promote calypso music. He wrote many calypsos; his most famous lyrics, "Rum and Coca-Cola", were plagiarised by Morey Amsterdam and became a hit for the Andrews Sisters. Invader travelled to New York and sued, eventually winning compensation, although the final settlement allowed Amsterdam to retain his copyright. He stayed in New York for a few years because of the lengthy court case. During his tenure in NYC, he became a fixture in the local calypso scene and recorded many tracks for Moses Asch. Eventually, he won his court case, but would not see his settlement check for seven years, so he returned to Trinidad in the meantime. He opened a calypso club there and penned and recorded many original songs. Among the songs he famously recorded were well known stick fighting songs like "Ten thousand to bar me one."
In the last half of 1958, he returned to New York City and continued recording for Moses Asch. He would continue to return to Trinidad, although by then he had, with Wilmoth Houdini, made himself one of the United States most successful calypsonians. On October 15, 1961, Lord Invader died at a Brooklyn, New York hospital.
Adapted from Wikipaedia.
Biography
"Lord Invader", Rupert Westmore Grant, Trinidad, W.I. December 13, 1914,- 15 October 1961, was a prominent calypsonian with a very distinctive, gravelly voice.
He was born in San Fernando, Trinidad. Invader became active in calypso in the mid-1930s. His tailor is said to have given him his sobriquet by commenting, "I tell you, Rupert, you should call yourself Lord Invader so when you go up to the city you be invadin' the capital." With a new name, in 1937 he went to Trinidad's capital city Port of Spain and began his career in earnest.
He competed in many calypso competitions, including the very first Calypso King competition, and recorded for RCA Bluebird. Lured by Decca Records, he travelled to New York City in 1941 with other calypsonians such as Roaring Lion and Atilla the Hun to make records and promote calypso music. He wrote many calypsos; his most famous lyrics, "Rum and Coca-Cola", were plagiarised by Morey Amsterdam and became a hit for the Andrews Sisters. Invader travelled to New York and sued, eventually winning compensation, although the final settlement allowed Amsterdam to retain his copyright. He stayed in New York for a few years because of the lengthy court case. During his tenure in NYC, he became a fixture in the local calypso scene and recorded many tracks for Moses Asch. Eventually, he won his court case, but would not see his settlement check for seven years, so he returned to Trinidad in the meantime. He opened a calypso club there and penned and recorded many original songs. Among the songs he famously recorded were well known stick fighting songs like "Ten thousand to bar me one."
In the last half of 1958, he returned to New York City and continued recording for Moses Asch. He would continue to return to Trinidad, although by then he had, with Wilmoth Houdini, made himself one of the United States most successful calypsonians. On October 15, 1961, Lord Invader died at a Brooklyn, New York hospital.
Adapted from Wikipaedia.