Lord Blakie

Carlton Joseph
Image of Lord Blakie at a concert in 2001
BornNovember 3 1932
San Juan, Trinidad
DiedJanuary 6 2005
Trinidad and Tobago
OccupationsCalypsonian and Steelband musician
Years active1953—2005

Carlton Joseph (Known as Lord Blakie)[1] was a Trinidadian Calypsonian[2][3][4] and musician, regarded as one of the greatest Calypsonians of his era, along with Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener and Lord Melody. He was born in Trinidad on November 3, 1932, and died on January 6, 2005.[5][6][7]

Biography

Blakie was born in Trinidad in 1932, and grew up in San Juan Trinidad which was a rough area known for “Badjohns”, this upbringing is what gave Blakie some of his song ideas about violence and Badjohn culture.[8] His first song called “The Steelband Clash” came out in 1953[9] he started out his career as “Warlord” (sometimes “Warlord Blakie” and “D’Warlord”)[8][10][11] He then changed his Calypso name to Lord Blakie (sometimes spelt as “Lord Blakey”). He won the Carnival Road March competition with “The Steelband Clash”[12] in 1954, and he won it again with “Maria” in 1962.[13] He was best remembered for his iconic laugh[14] and humour which features in a lot of his songs, he also was known to have large bursts of energy and joy despite coming from a “Badjohn” environment.[5][8] Lord Blakie is said to have loved the steel pan and the instrument featured in many of his songs.[10] Blakie also participated in friendly banter with all the other Calypsonians (which was common, various Calypsonian made songs about other Calypsonians), one such example is his song “Sparrow Lost” which was a comedic commentary on Mighty Sparrow losing the “Calypso King” title in the 1964 Calypso king of the world competition, (Blakie commented on Sparrow’s Grenadian heritage as in Trinidad there was an anti-Grenadian immigrant sentiment),[3] 1964 being regarded as one of the most competitive years with Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow, Mighty Bomber, Lord Blakie, Nap Hepburn, Mighty Composer and Young Killer all competing, with Mighty Bomber inevitably winning.[15][11][16] Lord Blakie was also the mentor and teacher of another Calypsonian/Soca musician called Black Stalin.[17]

Blakie stayed as an icon well after his hay day, being a common name and performer in Trinidad into the 21st Century, and in 2024 his life was made into a play created by Dawad Philip.[18][12] He is regarded by many as one of the greatest Calypsonians.[19]

Discography

References

  1. ^ Ottley, Rudolph (1995). Calypsonians from Then to Now, Part 1. R. Ottley. pp. 48, 55, 59. ISBN 978-976-8136-63-3.
  2. ^ "READ HERE: Who was Calypso legend Carlton Joseph, known as Warlord Blakie - Writeups 24: Caribbean News and Insights". writeups24.com. 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  3. ^ a b Pryor, Frederic (1986). Revolutionary Grenada: A Study in Political Economy. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-275-92155-2.
  4. ^ Westley, F.C (1983). The Spectator. p. 8.
  5. ^ a b Goodwin, Michael (2005-05-01). "Lord Blake: farewell to the warlord". Caribbean Beat Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  6. ^ Gibbs, Craig Martin (2015). Calypso and Other Music of Trinidad, 1912-1962: An Annotated Discography. McFarland & Company, Inc, Publishers. p. 190. ISBN 978-1-4766-1931-6.
  7. ^ "Xolani Kunle ready for the stage: 6-year-old shares passion for calypso".
  8. ^ a b c Joseph, Glenroy R. (2019-10-27). "Remembering another calypso legend , Mr. Carlton Joseph , The Lord Blakie". G R JOSEPH. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  9. ^ a b "Calypsography: Lord Blakie". calypsography.com. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  10. ^ a b "Remembering the loving Warlord". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  11. ^ a b "READ HERE: Who was Calypso legend Carlton Joseph, known as Warlord Blakie - Writeups 24: Caribbean News and Insights". writeups24.com. 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  12. ^ a b Newsday (2024-08-12). "Lord Blakie musical Sunday with The Warlord coming to Queen's Hall". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  13. ^ Trinidad Carnival, Issue 1; Issues 4-5. Key Caribbean Publications. 1973. pp. 13, 42.
  14. ^ a b "Endless Vibrations 1930s to 1960s: Lord Blakie". Caribbean Beat Magazine. 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  15. ^ Abidde, Sabella O.; Hall, Michael R.; Cruz, José de Arimatéia da (2023-07-31). Xenophobia and Nativism in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-91365-1.
  16. ^ Anthony, Michael (1989). Parade of the Carnivals of Trinidad, 1839-1989. Circle Press. pp. 205, 238, 275, 282, 295, 296, 298, 302, 308, 309. ISBN 978-976-8068-01-9.
  17. ^ Mason, Peter (2023-01-01). "Black Stalin obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  18. ^ Webb, Yvonne (2024-04-10). "Play about Lord Blakie to make overseas debut". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  19. ^ Goddard, George (1991). Forty Years in the Steelbands, 1939-1979. p. 49.
  20. ^ "When music ignites passion | Trinidad and Tobago News Blog". www.trinidadandtobagonews.com. Archived from the original on 2025-11-17. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  21. ^ "Calypso 45 RPM". The West End News. January 2, 1962. p. 3.
  22. ^ "Calypsography: Lord Blakie: Send Them Back / This Modern Generation". calypsography.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  23. ^ Lord Blakie Acc. By Telco Recording Orch. - Maria / Snakes In The Square, 1962, retrieved 2025-12-21
  24. ^ "De Prime Minister Eh Dey | Trinidad and Tobago News Blog". www.trinidadandtobagonews.com. Archived from the original on 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  25. ^ "Calypsography: Lord Blakie: Sparrow Lost / De Doctor Eh Dey". calypsography.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  26. ^ Regis, Louis (December 2005). "Calypso and the Caribbean Literary Imagination: A Special Issue" (PDF). Anthurium: A Caribbean Studies Journal. 3 (2): 15 – via Scholarly Repository.
  27. ^ "Lord Blackie / Society Playboys - Hold The Pussy / Riddle 7" calypso 45 trinidad". muysale.cn. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  28. ^ Lord Blakie, Society Playboys - The Riddle, 1967, retrieved 2025-12-21
  29. ^ "Calypsography: Lord Blakie: Road March Recipe / Soucouyant". www.calypsography.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  30. ^ Lord Blakie Acc. By Telco Recording Orch. - Road March Recipe / Soucouyant, 2020-11-10, retrieved 2025-12-21
  31. ^ Lord Blakie - Chinese In The Bus Stand, 1977, retrieved 2025-12-21
  32. ^ "Lord Blakie songs".
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