Kelvin 'The Mighty Duke' Pope passes on (dies). (1930 to 2009)

by Mantius Cazaubon
(St Lucia)

I'd like to extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved left by Calypsonian, The Mighty Duke. Kelvin "The Mighty Duke" Pope passed away today at the age of 79. He will be surely missed and remembered for his invaluable contribution to calypso.

Mighty Duke had been diagnosed with myelofibrosis. It's a serious bone marrow disorder that disrupts the body’s normal production of blood cells. He had been battling this disease for four years. By his side when he passed were his wife, one of his sons and Hollis ‘Chalkdust’ Liverpool.

The Mighty Duke is the only Calypsonian in Trinidad and Tobago’s history to have won the Calypso Monarch title four consecutive times. He won in 1968 with “What is Calypso” and “Social Bacchanal”, 1969 with “Black is Beautiful” and “One Foot Visina”, 1970 with “Brotherhood of Man” and “See Through” and 1971 with “Mathematical Formula” and “Melvie and Yvonne.

Many regarded Duke as being on par with calypso giant (now deceased) Aldwin “Kitchener” Roberts. Mighty Duke’s early contemporaries included Maestro, Composer, Stalin, Power and Ras Shorty I.

Once again I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved left by Kelvin Pope (The Mighty Duke).