On the heels of his passing, the Caribbean community immediately drew for the memories of his heyday, but for those who knew him best, moments shared intimately with The Mighty Sparrow through musical interaction and opportunities presented, will continue to be a solemn reminder of the human being that he was.

Soca King, Machel Montano recalls the opportunities given to him by the legendary entertainer. Sparrow’s timeless hits will live on and for Machel and many other artistes, his death at the age of 91, is a very real reminder of life’s impermanence. “I am flooded with emotions of every kind but most of all, I am filled with joyful memories of moments I’ve shared, lessons I’ve learnt, and music that shaped my very being,” said Montano. In 2008, the pair had collaborated to re-create Sparrow’s classic hit, ‘Congo Man.’ It was certainly a collaboration that will live in Machel’s heart forever.

More than seven decades of service to the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, The Mighty Sparrow’s legacy includes honors received from the country he was adopted by from a very young age. He had been awarded the Hummingbird Medal Silver in 1969, the Chaconia Medal Gold in 1993 and the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 2014, for his inimitable contribution to one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most enduring musical art forms, Calypso.

Shurwayne Winchester, in paying tribute to the icon, said, “In every lifetime, your presence would be needed, your music would be essential, your wit and personality required, because you, Mighty, Mighty Sparrow, were a gift to us all.” Shurwayne was one of the last artistes to collaborate with the legendary Calypsonian. The song is called, “My Island Girl,” released in 2023.

Mentored and loved by the Mighty Sparrow throughout her career, Natasha Wilson shared that her heart is saddened and announced that he had taken his last breath at 2:22pm on September 27th. “Dr. Slinger Francisco, the Calypso King of the World has passed,” she said in a Facebook live video. She asked for time on behalf of the family, to process the death of the man many considered the greatest Calypsonian who ever lived.

The Mighty Sparrow was born in Grand Roy, Grenada in 1935. His family migrated to Trinidad and Tobago less than two years later. In 1956, his career started with the hit single, ‘Jean and Dinah.’ It may have been his most famous song, but it would be only one of many, many incredibly well-constructed Calypso singles. Kees Dieffenthaller, in paying tribute, said The Mighty Sparrow was “the blueprint.” Internationally acclaimed songwriter and vocalist, Angela Hunte also shared, “My Sundays will always be filled with your voice in my house.”

From Barbados to Jamaica, his birthplace, Grenada, Guyana, the United States, the UK and at home in Trinidad and Tobago, the loss of Slinger Francisco – The Mighty Sparrow, is felt. Guyana’s President, Irfan Ali said, “He brought recognition to our Caribbean civilization. His melodies and lyrics sailed far beyond the region’s shores,” adding, “Sparrow lifted calypso from mere entertainment into an art form.” The Honorable, Mia Mottley also shared sentiments of deep appreciation and adoration for the Birdie, as he was fondly called, writing, “Calypso gave the ordinary Calypsonian a voice. Sparrow carried it to the world with incomparable genius. Born in Grenada and raised in Trinidad, he belonged to all of us.” She called on Caribbean adults to, “let our children hear him. Let them know that this brilliance came from among us.”

Artistry is about creativity. Burton Toney’s got a lot of it in him. He possesses a natural knack for stage performance and when he visits Tobago in a few weeks for Tobago Carnival, he’ll give ‘dem’ performance at any opportunity. The entertainer who performed in the 90’s with big names in the Soca music industry like Ronnie McIntosh, Kurt Allen, Knycky Cordner and Destra Garcia, recently unleashed a brand new single called, ‘Leave’ and just like that, he’s back in the mix.

Toney’s taking it slow as he assesses the music scene, but with tremendous experience on his side, he’s using his talent and wisdom to help others. “I returned to Tobago and realized that a lot of the younger artistes were looking up to me. I’ve invested in two female artistes in Tobago. I’ve executive produced for them because I felt the need to give back – to be like a mentor to them,” he said.

He was born and grew up in Signal Hill, attended Signal Hill Secondary School and understands music well. He was first exposed to performance art when John Arnold introduced him to performing with the Illuminate Choir in Tobago. “In Trinidad, some time later, I was a part of a band called, Eclipse. As luck would have it, the big band, Atlantik with Knycky Cordner and Kurt Allen, was looking for extra vocals for Carnival Monday and Tuesday on the road.” That was the beginning of a career turning point for Toney, as he would become a part of Atlantik, touring the Caribbean with the band and working with several artistes over time.

In 2005, Burton Toney left Trinidad and Tobago for Nantucket, Massachusetts. He was expecting his first child. “My son is now 21- years- old,” he told Ebuzztt, noting that when he migrated, music remained a big part of his life. “I continued doing music for a bit. I started with family. Meghan Trainor is my neice-in-law and I worked with her on building her confidence. She was extremely talented and I told folks, she could really sing,” he recalled. Trainor is now an internationally recognized superstar. The family moved to California in 2016 and life happened. “Between family and work life, I was completely distracted from music, but then three years ago, a couple of my friends said to me, ‘Burton it’s time to get off the shelf and get back to music.”

Back in Business

Songwriter Jason ‘Shaft ‘ Bishop was the man who’d initially work alongside Burton as he made his moves to get back onto the Soca scene. “Shaft and I worked on two songs, ‘Someday and ‘ Lockdown.’ That’s when I returned to Tobago after so many years and experienced Tobago Carnival. I knew I had to get involved in it,” he said. Since that time, Burton has been working on new material, reigniting his spark and pushing into a niche market, as he sees it. “I have two songs completed so far this year – ‘ Leave’ and ‘Only One.’ When I re-emerged three years ago, I reminded those who remembered me of my performance style and the women loved it. I made a decision then and there to focus on that demographic – mature women and couples – giving women the music and performance they can move to and enjoy, and giving men the lyrics and melody they can sing into their lady’s ear,” said the entertainer.

Burton Tony’s music is groovy but includes a certain attitude that calls out to the audience, reaching deep into the fire that burns in them. “I want to concentrate on doing music that the audience can truly connect with. I want people to dance more – hold on to each other. That’s my specialty I think.”

Turning to Tobago

No matter what, this man of great experience will always give his audience a show. “Destra used to tell me, the yard could be empty, you still run out like there are thousands of people and that’s the mentality I have. Everybody has a smartphone and you’re being seen more than ever now. You always have to give it full 100 per cent,” said Toney.

As the focus turns to Tobago in the month ahead, Burton says he hopes the organization will do what it needs to, to ensure Tobago’s artistes benefit from the island’s showcase over the next few weeks. “The Carnival market is very saturated and the organizers will always bring big artistes from around the Caribbean, but one of the things I would love for Tobago is exposure and visibility for the artistes of Tobago – offering them a chance to be seen and heard; That would be respectful of the people of Tobago.”

Excited to once again come back home, Burton says his family will be with him this year and with his new singles in hand, he’s ready to bring good energy and pure vibes to Tobago. ” ‘Leave’ is one of those songs that speaks to the women. It was produced by Andy Davis – an incredible Tobagonian producer and written by Guyana’s Dickisha Mpilla, who’s based in California,” he said.

‘Only You’ is Burtons second release for Tobago and wherever else the road takes him. “I don’t ever think about how difficult the journey might be. I concentrate on doing music that the audience can truly connect with. I want people to dance more – hold on to each other, and that is ultimately my goal. It’s not about competing with anyone else. I’m just about great music, stage presence and big energy.”

Ready for Tobago Carnival – a calendar staple now, which climaxes between October 29th and October31st, Burton Toney is returning with an open mind and great aspirations. “My son told me he’s proud of me after he saw one of my performances in Tobago last year. He had never seen my performance and he was totally surprised. He says he likes the music and that’s real success, to me.”

Pleased with the feedback he’s been receiving since releasing the music, the artiste promises nothing less that his 100 per cent on any stage. He’s the type of guy to leave it all on stage, and in a saturated market, that attitude could be the difference between Burton Toney and every other artiste on the scene.