Sterling Betancourt MBE,

FRSA The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...

(born 30 March 1930) is a

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

-born

pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a person who is among the first at something that is new to a community. A pioneer as a settler is among the first settling at a place that is new to the settler community. A historic example are American pioneers, perso ...

, arranger and musician on the

steelpan The steelpan (also known as a pan or steel drum) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago from Afro–Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Afro-Trinidadians. Steelpan musicians are called pannists. In 1992, the steelpan was declared ...

, a major figure in pioneering the Pan in Europe and the UK (1951). In a career spanning more than five decades, he has received numerous awards including his involvement in the origins of the

Notting Hill Carnival The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual Caribbean Carnival event that has taken place in London since 1966

in the 1960s. Betancourt lives in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England.

Early years

Betancourt (Trinidad pronunciation: Betancou) was born and raised in

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 ...

, near

Port of Spain Port of Spain ( ; Trinidadian and Tobagonian English, Trinidadian English: ''Port ah Spain'' ) is the capital and chief port of Trinidad and Tobago. With a municipal population of 49,867 (2017), an urban population of 81,142 and a transient dail ...

, in Trinidad. His father, Edwin, was a musician and a man of all trades, his mother Stella Bowen was a seamstress and a cleaner. At a very early age, Betancourt was involved with music with the Tambo Bambo family band and grew up experimenting with the steelpan, becoming a member of the Tripoli Steel band and Cross Fire. He began his career in the 1930s and became a steelpan tuner and eventually the leader of Crossfire, a steelband from the

St James Saint James or St. James may refer to: People Saints *James, brother of Jesus (died 62 or 69), also known as James the Just *James the Great (died 44), Apostle, also known as James, son of Zebedee, or Saint James the Greater *James, son of Alphaeu ...

area. He also played a large part in the development of steelpan in Trinidad and Europe.

Move to Europe

Betancourt was chosen with 11 steelpan players to form the Trinidad All-Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) and play in London at the 1951 Festival of Britain, in the same year he toured England and Europe with the band and was the only member of TASPO to remain in England when the others returned to Trinidad on 12 November 1951. Betancourt's calypso "Taspo's Story" features on the ''RASPO Rhythms'' CD by the Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra (RASPO), relates the tribulations encountered by the arrival of the first Steel Band in London: The Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO). Betancourt, Russell Henderson and Mervyn Constantine, who later on was replaced by Max Cherrie, followed by his brother Ralph Cherrie, formed the first steelband in the UK and performed all over London as well as in radio shows, jazz clubs and the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

. In 1955 Betancourt was taught by Tony Kinsey to play the traps drums to form The Henderson combo.

Notting Hill Carnival

Henderson, Betancourt and Ralph Cherrie, initiated the multicultural Notting Hill children street festival organised by Rhaune Laslett in 1964. A festival that grew to become the biggest street event in Europe, the

Notting Hill Carnival The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual Caribbean Carnival event that has taken place in London since 1966

Other activities

Betancourt has also taken steelpan to many other countries throughout Europe and Asia, including Switzerland, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Morocco, Indonesia, Germany, Spain, France, Oman, Italy, Sicily, Sweden and Norway. A 1976 performance he gave in a hotel in

Zurich, Switzerland Zurich (; ) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The urban area was home to 1.45 ...

, inspired some locals to form their own Swiss group, which they called Tropefieber ("Tropical Fever"), the first steel band in Zurich, followed then by many others.

Nostalgia steel band

In 1985 Betancourt's steel band, "Nostalgia", was born and continued with him as the leader, player, and arranger until 2005."Sterling Betancourt M.B.E., F.R.S.A."
My Panyard.

Awards

Honours and awards that Betancourt has received include: in 1993 Trinidad and Tobago’s Scarlet Ibis award. A

University of East London University of East London (UEL) is a public university located in the London Borough of Newham, London, England, based at three campuses in Stratford, London, Stratford and London Docklands, Docklands, following the opening of University Squar ...

Honorary Fellowship in 1996, a membership of the

for his commitment in promoting steelpan culture throughout the United Kingdom, and pioneering steelpan projects in English schools and in the same year, the New York Sunshine Award. He was appointed as a

Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in the

New Year Honours 2002 New Years' Honours are announced on or around the date of the New Year in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supplements to the London G ...

"for services to the steel band movement". In 2004 he received a Fellowship of the Royal Society, in 2006 a Pantrinbago Pioneer award, in 2010 Pan Jazz Life Time Achievement, 2011 Pan Trinbago Commemorative Plaque for Life Time Achievement. In 2012, on the occasion of the Trinidad and Tobago Independence Jubilee celebrations, he was a recipient of one of the Arts awards recognising citizens who made a positive contribution to the promotion and development of Trinidad and Tobago in the United Kingdom during the past 50 years, given at a gala dinner in London hosted by High Commissioner Garvin Nicholas. In February 2018, Sterling Betancourt recorded his latest calypso, "Brexit Bacchanal Story", with Dik Cadbury singer/guitar/bass guitar/violin, Tamla Batra on steelpan and piano and Betancourt on steel drum and percussion.

References

External links

"TASPO , Sterling Betancourt , The 1951 Festival of Britain"
Sterling Betancourt talks about his experience with TASPO. YouTube clip from BBC2 documentary ''The 1951 Festival of Britain – A Brave New World'', broadcast Saturday, 24 September 2011.
"Betancourt talks about war, rebellion"
''Trinidad and Tobago Guardian Online'', 11 May 2012.
"Sterling Betancourt MBE"
CultureMix.
"Sterling Betancourt & Lord Kitchener Jools Holland London Calling"
YouTube. {{DEFAULTSORT:Betancourt, Sterling Steelpan musicians Trinidad and Tobago musicians Living people Members of the Order of the British Empire British people of Trinidad and Tobago descent 1930 births Bettencourt family 21st-century Black British people Fellows of the Royal Society of Arts