Roy Cape’s enduring legacy
A few years ago, when legendary musician Roy Cape was asked in an interview what he believed was his legacy, he said he hoped he had “contributed to make the world a better place through music.”
He did that and more, leaving behind music that is the soundtrack of many lives, investing more than six decades in the development of calypso and soca and playing an influential role in the careers of artistes across the region.
His most enduring legacy lives on in the Roy Cape Foundation, established after he retired as leader of The Roy Cape All Stars in 2017. It was inspired by his passion for music education and his desire to save young people in crime-infested communities from violence and anti-social behaviours.
It was through music that Pappy, as he was affectionately known by his legions of fans and fellow musicians, escaped from childhood poverty and delinquency.
In his early years in the East Dry River, Port-of-Spain, community, he was surrounded by steelbands—Renegades, City Syncopators, Desperadoes, All Stars, Blue Diamonds and Tokyo—and often went against his mother’s wishes so he could “follow the music around.”
After his mother’s death, he became a runaway street child and was eventually sent to the Belmont Orphanage, now known as St Dominic’s Home, where his formal music training began.
From there, not yet out of his teens, he embarked on a musical career that spanned decades, starting as an in-demand saxophonist in the 1950s and 1960s with bands led by Frankie Francis, Clarence Curvan, Fitz Von Bryan, Ron Berridge and others.
Mr Cape also toured and recorded with calypso greats such as the Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener and Black Stalin, his close friend for many years. He was one of the musicians accompanying The Mighty Sniper on T&T’s unofficial anthem, Portrait of Trinidad.
He will be best remembered as leader of The Roy Cape All Stars, the band he founded in 1980.
Among his many well-deserved honours for his contributions to music and culture are a Hummingbird (Gold) national award in 2004 and an honorary doctorate from the UWI in 2011.
However, his positive influence extended well beyond the entertainment arena. Mr Cape was very open about his battle with prostate cancer and became an advocate for the disease. Guardian Media was privileged to share his story through a cancer awareness series just a few years ago.
Social media has been flooded with tributes to Cape since his passing on Thursday. All of them are testimonies to a remarkable life.
But one of the most fitting ways to honour his memory will be to support The Roy Cape Foundation’s music education programme for at-risk children and young people, a passion he pursued until his death.
Mr Cape set up the foundation following the January 2016 shooting deaths of two Laventille schoolboys and dedicated his life after his retirement to transforming young lives through music.
Driven by his own experience of being saved from a life on the streets by music, he freely gave his time and talent to teach and lead youngsters on a positive path.
Tangible support through funding, donations of musical instruments and professional expertise will keep Roy Cape’s dream of making the world a better place through music alive.
The post Roy Cape’s enduring legacy first appeared on CNC3.