Clifton Ryan (30 January 1928 – 1 January 2022), better known as the Mighty Bomber, was a Grenadian-born

calypsonian A calypsonian, originally known as a ''chantwell'', is a musician from the anglophone Caribbean who sings songs of the Calypso music, calypso genre. Calypsos are musical renditions having their origins in the West African griot tradition. Origin ...

from

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

. The name "The Mighty Bomber" was also used in the 1940s by Trinidadian Calypsonian Kenny Cooper.

Early life

Clifton Ryan was born on 30 January 1928 in St. George's, Grenada, son of Fitzroy Ryan, an Anglican sexton originally from

Belmont, Trinidad and Tobago Belmont, in north-east Port of Spain, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is located at the foot of the Laventille Hills; it was the city's first suburb. In the 1840s–'50s, parts of the area were settled by Africans rescued by the Royal Na ...

, and Agatha Joseph, who was Grenadian. He migrated to Trinidad and Tobago in 1956. His brother, Samuel, also sang calypso, under the sobriquet King Solomon.

Career

Bomber began singing calypso in Grenada, and won a national competition there in 1940 according to the National Action Cultural Committee. After migrating to Trinidad and Tobago in 1956, he began performing and had his first hit, "Gloria", in 1958. A version of "Gloria" was later recorded by

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...

. In 1960 he was invited by The

Mighty Sparrow Slinger Francisco Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, ORTT Chaconia Medal, CM Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 9 July 1935), better known as Mighty Sparrow, is a Trinidadian Calypso music, calypso vocalist, songwriter, and guitar ...

(Slinger Francisco) to join the Young Brigade

calypso tent Calypso tents are venues in which calypsonians perform during the Carnival season. They usually are cinema halls, community centers, or other indoor buildings which have seating and stage arrangements to host the entertainers, guests and patrons ...

. He later managed selected line-ups of performers and managed shows for the Original Young Brigade and performed for Sparrow's Young Brigade and Kitchener's Revue. He retired from singing calypsos in 2007. Bomber was a protégé of The

Mighty Spoiler Theophilus Philip (23 March 1926 – 26 December 1960), better known as Mighty Spoiler, was a Trinidadian calypsonian. Spoiler's career began in 1946 (see 1946 in music) at the House of Lords Tent, and he soon became one of the most popular ...

and, like Spoiler, he was known for his use of humour in his compositions. In 1964 Bomber won the

Calypso Monarch The Calypso Monarch (originally Calypso King) contest is one of the two major annual calypso competitions held in Trinidad and all English speaking Caribbean islands, as part of the annual carnival celebrations. History While Trinidad's carnival ...

competition, defeating Sparrow. He placed fourth in the Independence calypso competition in 1962 which was won by Lord Brynner (Kade Simon). Despite having Trinidad and Tobago citizenship through his father, Bomber believed that he would have done better had he been born in the country, saying in a 2012 interview "The people wanted Bomber. I was the People's Choice. It was felt I was not a citizen of T&T." Bomber represented Trinidad and Tobago in the Commonwealth Festival of Arts in Britain in 1963 and met Harry Belafonte after performing in the United States.

Personal life and death

Bomber died on 1 January 2022, 29 days before his 94th birthday. At the time of his death, Bomber was the oldest living calypsonian, according to Mark John (calypsonian Composer), North Zone chairman of the

Trinbago Unified Calypsonians' Organisation The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) is a professional body representing the interests of calypsonians in Trinidad and Tobago and working to promote calypso music nationally and internationally. TUCO was established in 1993 and ...

(TUCO), and one of only two survivors (along with Sparrow) of the Independence calypso competition.

Achievements and honours

Bomber was one of the few calypsonians who beat Sparrow in competition and was described by Mark John as "one of the greatest composers in the artform". Calypsonian and ethnomusicologist

Hollis Liverpool Hollis Urban Lester Liverpool, better known as Chalkdust or Chalkie (born 1940 in Chaguaramas, Trinidad), is a leading calypsonian from Trinidad and Tobago. He has been singing calypso music, calypso since 1967 and has recorded more than 300 c ...

(Chalkdust) spoke of the role Bomber played in helping young calypsonians to learn the "rudiments of measurement, phrasing, melody and pitch... One of Bomber's greatest contributions to calypso is correcting calypsonians". He was ranked among the top 50 calypsonians of the twentieth century by TUCO. In 1976 he was granted a plot of land in Picton Hill,

Laventille Laventille is a suburb of Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. It is administered by the San Juan–Laventille Regional Corporation. Etymology The name ''Laventille'' hearkens back to colonial times, especially when the French dominated the cu ...

, by the government of Prime Minister

Eric Williams Eric Eustace Williams (25 September 1911 – 29 March 1981) was a Trinidad and Tobago politician. He has been dubbed as the " Father of the Nation", having led the then-British Colony of Trinidad and Tobago to majority rule on 28 October 1956, ...

in recognition of his contribution to calypso.

Selected discography

* '' Calypso Jamboree'' (1966). Is one of his album title. https://www.discogs.com/release/8567547-Mighty-Bomber-Calypso-Jamboree-1966

References

External links

* *
The Legacy of the Mighty Bomber
– TriniView.com