00:19He gave us some of our greatest Calypso hits, from Gene and Dinah to Good Morning Mr. Walker
00:25to the ever-controversial Congo man. The mighty Sparrow's legacy endures in our hearts, in our minds, and in the
00:33sweet strains of Calypso music.
00:36The birdie may have flown, but his melody was carried on today by those succeeding him in the fraternity.
00:43Soka King Marshall Montano performed an original piece, an ode to the Calypso King, a tribute to the life and
00:51the legacy of the mighty Sparrow.
00:55The birdie sing, everywhere I look around, even though they say he's gone, are still hearing his songs, living on.
01:08Everybody had a favorite, and every time they play it, you're hearing them say, he make me dance, singing about
01:18politics, love and hate relationships.
01:20He make me sing about federation, and children's education.
01:27He make me laugh, laugh until we cry, real true stories eternalize, and that is why we call this Sparrow,
01:36Almighty King of Calypso.
01:39Also paying tribute were Dashtra Garcia, Super Blue, Aaron Duncan, and Zachary Ransom, David Rudder, Chuck Gordon, and Sheldon Reed,
01:50singing Slave.
02:13Musical tributes were also given by his daughter, Karen Francisco, while one of his other daughters, Michelle Francisco,
02:20delivered a stirring eulogy and a key lesson learned from her father's life.
02:26There was once a little boy named Slinger Francisco, who left Grenada at just a year old.
02:33He received only a primary school education, but he had a dream, he had a creative spirit, and an extraordinary
02:45passion for music.
02:47He taught himself to play different instruments, learned multiple languages, and developed a gift for connecting with people through music.
02:57He took what he had, believed in what he could become, and he forged his own path to become the
03:06Calypso king of the world.
03:09He did not follow someone else's blueprint, he created his own, and that is the lesson I hope his life
03:18will continue to teach us all.
03:21You do not have to become, you do not have to come from a particular background to achieve greatness.
03:28You do not have to follow a conventional path to make your mark on the world.
03:33The mighty Sparrow is one of the most decorated and accomplished cultural icons in history.
03:39Eight roadmatch titles, eight Calypso crowns, and many Calypsoians would be grateful to have at least one.
04:00I think that what we should do here now is give a final round of applause and a standing ovation
04:06for this great man who has passed away.
04:27Thank you, mighty Sparrow.
04:30Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
