Hundreds gathered at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on Wednesday to bid farewell to calypso legend The Mighty Sparrow, as stories of his impact on Trinidad and Tobago’s culture and people’s lives echoed throughout the venue.
From as early as 10am, a steady stream of mourners, admirers and supporters passed through the halls where the body of the Calypso King lay in repose ahead of his State-assisted funeral on Friday.
Fans, some of whom have admired him for decades, shared why they hold their Birdie very dear to their hearts.
Educator and author Yvonne Bobb-Smith shared, “He’s the greatest of our culture, brothers and sisters. He has put into perspective our life; it touched spiritual, political, physical. His delivery of his verse was super. I looked at him, and I looked into his eyes, and I said, ‘This is a man who loved’.”
An emotional Trinidad Rio described the artiste as a great mentor. He also reflected on Sparrow’s body of work and the impact he made in the calypso arena.
“I learn everything I want to learn about calypso from listening to Sparrow music. I don’t think nobody could teach me, give me a better lesson than what I got from Sparrow.”
Members of the Diplomatic Corps also came out to pay their respects.
The High Commissioner of Canada to T&T, Michael Callan, said The Mighty Sparrow’s music influenced many beyond Trinidad and Tobago’s shores.
“I’ve heard it right across not just the Trinbagonian diaspora in Canada, not just the Caribbean community, but many others who discovered calypso music and who discovered this tradition of music through The Mighty Sparrow.”
President Christine Kangaloo and First Gentleman Kerwyn Garcia SC also visited NAPA on Wednesday afternoon, joining family members of the legend to pay their respects to the late cultural icon.
Musician and owner of Simpson’s Memorial Ltd, Samuel David Simpson, said it is a full-circle moment to be a part of the final rites for The Mighty Sparrow.
“My dad came from Barbados, Sparrow came from Grenada, and they were friends here, and we grew up hearing about Sparrow and seeing Daddy bringing home his records. When I got a licence, Daddy used to send me to carry stuff for Sparrow. Sparrow used to give me things to carry back for Daddy, whatever it is, I don’t know what it was, but they exchange envelopes, and then boom, the song ‘Simpsons the funeral agency man’ – everybody knows the song.”
The State-assisted Funeral and National Farewell for Slinger Francisco, The Mighty Sparrow, is scheduled for Friday, October 16th, 2026.