Date: 31 October 2001
Contact: Kanchan Paser
Tel: 212-963-0343
Fax: 212-963-1395
e-mail: kanchan@sunshineawards.com
For Immediate Release
SUNSHINE Awards® Bids Sad Farewell
to Calypsonian Daniel Emmanuel Jardine Gilchrist (Young Killer)
Teaneck, New Jersey, 24 September, 2001…………… The SUNSHINE Awards®
organization today released the following statement:
Members of the SUNSHINE Awards® organization learned with great sadness that
Daniel Emmanuel Jardine Gilchrist, better known in the world of calypso as Young
Killer, died on Friday, October 26 after suffering a long illness. Young Killer
had a very special relationship with the SUNSHINE Awards®. He was the uncle of
its founder and chairman, Gilman T. Figaro, Sr. He was also an ardent supporter
and friend of the Awards and made it a point never to miss an Awards program.
Our organization is very saddened by his death and he will certainly be missed.
Young Killer was a member of that elite group of calypsonians, which included
The Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, Lord Melody, Lord Christo and Bomber. He
began his career in 1956 in south Trinidad and later moved on to Port of Spain,
where the following year, he had his first hit, "Tight, Tight Pants".
For the next ten years, he had the distinction of having 2 hits every year with
songs such as "Bad Talk", "Doctor Say to Buy Local",
"Little Eight" and "Millie Rawls versus Killer". His
calypsos dealt mainly with social issues of the day and reflected his wonderful
sense of humor. An example was one of his popular songs, "Confusion - A
Black Woman named Miss White".
In 1967, Young Killer was selected to represent Trinidad & Tobago and
Grenada in the Montreal Exposition. The following year he migrated to the United
States, where he performed extensively throughout the country. He was one of the
many calypsonians who performed on the Calypso for Africa Project in 1985 to
assist the drought victims in Ethiopia. For his outstanding contribution to
calypso and Caribbean culture, Young Killer was inducted into the SUNSHINE
Awards® Hall of Fame by Dr. Hollis (Chalkdust) Liverpool in 1999.
Chalkdust on hearing of his death said, "This is a very sad day. Young
Killer was a dear friend and a wonderful calypsonian, who has made significant
contribution to calypso and steel band music. He stands among the elite
calypsonians, whose music has influenced generations of younger performers.
Perhaps more importantly, he was a good and kind individual, who never spoke
negatively of anyone and, as result, he was loved and respected by all. I shall
personally miss him tremendously. The world of calypso has lost one of its true
elder statesmen."
Pannist Dane Gulston recently recorded a couple of Young Killer's calypsos on
a CD, which Gil Figaro is currently producing in honour of his uncle. It is
aptly titled "Then and Now" and has a selection of songs by his uncle
and some of his own. Dane, who also visited and played for Young Killer had this
to say, "It was an honour and a pleasure for me to meet and play for Young
Killer. His music reminds me of Kitchener's. It fits into any period of time.
Speaking with him gives me a better understanding of the roots of calypso, a
better idea of where it is actually coming from."
Young Killer leaves behind his wife, Yvonne, five children, ten
grandchildren, two great grandchildren, four brothers, three sisters and a
number of nieces and nephews, including the Founder of the SUNSHINE Awards,
Gilman T. Figaro, Sr. The SUNSHINE Awards® organization shares with them the
grief and sorrow caused by his passing and takes this opportunity to extend our
sincere condolences and sympathy to each of them. A viewing will be held from
4:00pm to 6:30pm on Thursday, 1 October at the First Baptist Church, Eastern
Parkway (corner of Rogers Avenue), Brooklyn, New York followed by a service.
