Dave Martins, who led the Tradewinds band and whose music Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali described as ‘the heartbeat of our region,’ has died.
Local media reports said the Guyana-born singer and composer was 90.
“As the leader of the Tradewinds band, Dave captured the essence of the Caribbean spirit and its identity, blending upbeat rhythms with biting satire that spoke to our hearts and minds,” President Ali wrote in a Facebook tribute on Sunday.
The Guyana President said Martins was more than just a musician.
“He was a true Caribbean person whose influence extended beyond borders, touching the lives of countless individuals across the region. His loss is deeply felt, not only in Guyana but throughout the entire Caribbean and in our diaspora,” Ali noted.
He recalled the Martins song ‘Not A Blade Of Grass’, calling it a timeless anthem and a powerful statement to Guyana’s collective resistance against threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
‘Not A Blade of Grass,’ composed in the 1980s, had mobilised Guyanese against Venezuela’s persistent claim to the Essequibo Region.
With the revival of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s resource-rich Essequibo region, the song has continued to be an unofficial national anthem for some Guyanese.
Martins’ other songs are “Honeymooning Couple,” “Cricket in the Jungle,” “Civilisation,” “It’s Traditional,” and “Copycats.”
In 2022, the University of Guyana conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters.
Any third-party or user posts, comments, replies, and third-party entries published on the St. Lucia Times website (https://stluciatimes.com) in no way convey the thoughts, sentiments or intents of St. Lucia Times, the author of any said article or post, the website, or the business. St. Lucia Times is not responsible or liable for, and does not endorse, any comments or replies posted by users and third parties, and especially the content therein and whether it is accurate.
St. Lucia Times reserves the right to remove, screen, edit, or reinstate content posted by third parties on this website or any other online platform owned by St. Lucia Times (this includes the said user posts, comments, replies, and third-party entries) at our sole discretion for any reason or no reason, and without notice to you, or any user. For example, we may remove a comment or reply if we believe it violates any part of the St. Lucia Criminal Code, particularly section 313 which pertains to the offence of Libel. Except as required by law, we have no obligation to retain or provide you with copies of any content you as a user may post, or any other post or reply made by any third-party on this website or any other online platform owned by St. Lucia Times. All third-parties and users agree that this is a public forum, and we do not guarantee any confidentiality with respect to any content you as a user may post, or any other post or reply made by any third-party on this website. Any posts made and information disclosed by you is at your own risk.
Doesn’t look Caribbean to me.
RIP my brother I grew up listening to ur music along with my parents still speaks to my soul.
The Caribbean look comes as a result of the melting pot that defines us. Black, Amerindian, Chinese, Indian white and the many mixtures of these ethnicities. That’s what makes Caribbean people unique. You cannot define us by one race. We are a mixed people. Some have as many as 3 or 4 races in their heritage. I know a young man who has black, white and Carib on his father’s side and black and Indian on his mother’s side. What then would his “Caribbean” look like?
That’s why we’re so great. I
I grew up listening to his music, it never grows old. Great Caribbean talent, like the old calypsonians of that era
The Tradewinds delivered hit after hit, starting in the 60s. They had a particular affection for Saint Lucia and mentioned the country, as well as certain Saint Lucians, by name in some of their songs.
Dave Martins made a sterling contribution to Caribbean music and will be sorely missed.
A parting question: what does “Caribbean” look like when our region is a melting pot of ethnicities?
This is Tradewinds music for those too young to know.
https://youtu.be/gCES52UJ0t0?si=bFAGwZTW8Rf1oWyO
“Doesn’t look Caribbean to me.” Fed on tripe, and assorted nothings from “de patty” this is precisely what I expected.
Who is Caribbean should be a no brainier if one has spent a minute reading our history books. In short, it’s a collection of people of different races.
Exhibit A…what the political parties do to the feeble minded.
@CARIBBEAN LOOK: I couldn’t agree with you more. What would the Amerindians say about us Blacks, we don’t look Caribbean? Race should not define us. Dave Martins was more Caribbean than many of us.
What would one say about Byron Lee, remember him, the Jamaican Chinese who gave us such good music, wasn’t he Caribbean also. Are you all saying that Caribbean people should look black. Some of us either came here or we were brought here for various reasons. Please don’t sound racist, Caribbean people are not racist. We are one family, in the words of Kassav’s Jean-Philipe Marthely, ‘La Grand Famile.’
@Poule Foo: You hit the nail on the head. I concur.
Lucian Lowgrade, just showing his true colours.
Last time I checked, Cuba was part of the Caribbean too. There are natives from all these places who travelled up from South and Central America who aren’t African. When the white came they too had children with indentured labourers and natives but never left with the children…are we going to discredit the heritage / association of those descendants as well?
Low grade must be an amerindian, the indigenous people of the Caribbean.
Lucian lowgrade . You are an ignoramus. What does a Caribbean look like then. This man has contributed so much more to this region than you ever will. Stupid and ignorant comment but is attention you want sicko