Shurwayne takes Road March title

Shurwayne Winchester became only the third Tobagonian to take the National Road March title in the history of the competition. Winchester ran away with the title with his song “Look De Band Coming” being played 255 times at Carnival venues in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Arima and Tobago. Speaking from Sangre Grande where he was nursing a slight temperature yesterday, Winchester told Newsday that he was very happy and honoured to have copped the title and praised his parents Codrington and Linda Winchester who live in Signal Hill, Tobago. Winchester explained that the two had sacrificed so much to have him where he is today and vocally imagined what it would be like to see the joy on their faces in light of his success. “They are my main supporters behind the scenes and the contributions that they have made over the years have been tremendous,” said an emotional Winchester.

As regards being the third Tobagonian to enjoy Road March success, the 39-year-old new Road March King said: “It is my greatest gift to TT even though it doesn’t happen with Tobagonians all that often, but I am a bocas child, in that my mother is Trinidadian and father, Tobagonian.” Winchester also thanked his fans, his entire management team and all those who supported him beginning with the production team from the studio, to the fans purchasing his CD. “I appreciate them and their support so much. I love them,” he said. Winchester, who sings with the band Traffik, helped his own tally while the band provided accompanying music for mas band Barbarossa. Also, apart from blowing away his competition in Trinidad, reports are that Winchester’s song was the only calypso played in Tobago on both Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

Placing second was Destra Garcia’s “Bonnie and Clyde” which was played 103 times, while Machel Montano’s “Craziness” trailed behind with 79 plays to take third spot. Winchester has followed in the footsteps of fellow Tobagonians Shadow (Winston Bailey) and Calypso Rose (Mc Cartha Sandy-Lewis), who between them, won the title on four occasions. Shadow, who was the first Tobagonian to do so in 1974 with his immortal “Bassman,” then Calypso Rose became the first female to capture Road March honours in 1977 with “Tempo.” She repeated the feat the following year with “Come Leh We Jam,” then Shadow returned in 2001 to take the title for a second time with “Stranger.” To date, the late Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) remains “King of the Road” having captured the title on 11 occasions between the years 1963 and 1976, followed by Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) who has done it on eight occasions and SuperBlue with seven titles under his belt.