The passing of a true legend

He was born April 9, 1920 in San Fernando opposite what his son Wayne termed the famous Irvin Park, where a number of youngsters cut their teeth playing football bare feet, including his father. Wayne said: “That is where he started his football career that took him through teams such as Spitfire, Sporting Club, Notre Dame and eventually the famous Shamrock team that won every available trophy contested for in 1959. That is the year he retired from football on a high note as he put it.”

From then on, Wayne said his father concentrated on his musical career that first started with Pat Castagne’s band Krazy Kats in which he played the clarinet. From there Dopson formed his own band that was known by a number of names throughout its existence, including Syl Dopson and D Boys, Syl Dopson and the Merry Boys, Syl Dopson Kaiso Boys or Kaiso Stars and Syl Dopson Orchestra.

In the ’70s the band produced two albums, Kaiso 1 and Kaiso 2 – Party Time on which they did versions of popular yesteryear calypsos such as ‘Old Lady Walk a Mile’, ‘Netty Netty’ and ‘Caroline’.

In the hey day of the band too, they were a feature in many parties and cultural events, that resulted in them being contracted to be the back up band for the National Extempo competition for many years.

In the latter years though, as Syl Dopson’s orchestra was TT’s last “traditional” orchestra they were asked to provide the music for Calypso @ Dirty Jim’s, a movie featuring the last of the great calypsonians, bringing them all together to sing such classics as “Rum & Coca Cola”, “Jean and Dinah” and “Shame and Scandal in the Family”.

For the movie the orchestra comprised Syl Dopson and John Henderson on cuatro, pianist Ralph Davis, Harold Richard on bass, and chac chac player Knolly Aholy.

The film was produced in an effort to recapture the sound of classic calypso in all its glory. Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Terror, Bomber, Superior and Relator all gathered around Syl Dopson’s orchestra on the scene at Dirty Jim’s Club, specially recreated for the film.

The musical documentary that won Best Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival provided a sensitive and original rendering of calypso, its culture and the legendary singers of the Dirty Jim’s, as part of the Caribbean Tales Collection. It also got a Jury Special Award, at the Vues d’Afrique Montreal Film Festival.

Wayne said: “For the better part of 30 years the band kept going. It boasted the likes of John “Buddy” Williams, Frankie Francis, Hendren Boucaud and John Henderson to mention a few, and it was only due to old age as we say, that the band eventually ended, as the players passed away one by one,” adding that Syl is the last original member to pass on.

On the personal side, Wayne stated: “He was a loving and dedicated father and lived a simple life placing emphasis on firstly his loving wife, his children, his grandchildren that followed, his music and his friends.”

He also said that his dad believed that things like his marriage and the cars that he owned should last a lifetime.

Wayne ended by saying that Syl taught them many things by his examples, the most important being how to live happily with all people regardless of class creed or race.