Groundbreaking Trinidadian calypso queen Denyse Plummer passed away on Sunday 27 August. Her death at the age of 69 came after a courageous battle with cancer.
Despite facing health challenges, Plummer’s spirit remained strong. Her son Jesse Boocock confirmed that she had chosen to discontinue chemotherapy and was finding comfort surrounded by loved ones at home.
Plummer’s father was a musician, playing guitar for a folk group, La Petite Musicale. Like so many singers, she began her own remarkable musical journey in the choir at secondary school, where she won a number of prizes. She started her professional career singing covers of pop songs in night clubs, but the big break came in 1985 when Len ‘Boogsie’ Sharpe asked her to sing calypso. This was a new direction for Denyse, but she made a hit of Pan Rising, which Phase II steelband played at that year’s Panorama. It brought her to the attention of Blue Boy (Austin Lyons, known as Superblue from 1990), who brought her into his tent.
Her Calypso Monarch competition debut in 1986 marked a significant milestone, yet she encountered resistance from a local audience unaccustomed to a female calypsonian, especially one with a mixed heritage. However, Plummer’s determination propelled her forward, and she became known for her elaborate hairstyles, extravagant headgear and costumes that ranged from sexy winer girl to operatic diva.
In 1987, she impressed by securing third place in the National Calypso competition and the following year gained the NWAC Calypso Queen crown with Woman is Boss, a strong song about inequality that was also the winning tune for Panorama 1988. Plummer’s star continued to rise and she eventually amassed no fewer than eight Calypso Queen titles.
Even more remarkably, perhaps, she gained top prize in the 1998 Chutney Soca Monarch with Carnival ki Rani/Carnival Queen, co-written with Calypso Rose.
Her pinnacle year proved to be 2001, as she clinched the calypso crown with her unforgettable songs Heroes and Nah Leaving. She was awarded the Hummingbird Medal (Gold) for her contribution to culture in 2011 and was described as a “true patriot of T&T”.
In later years, Plummer concentrated on the spreading the Christian gospel in her own unique way, by combining soca beats with gospel lyrics.
Denyse Plummer has passed, but her legacy lives on through her groundbreaking achievements, unshakable determination, and unwavering devotion to her faith. We salute her.
