Pre-eminent Caribbean soca-calypso arranger Frankie McIntosh on Monday paid tribute to Vincentian calypsonian Fitzroy “Temple” Edwards of “Maintain the Cock and Pullet” fame, who succumbed to most cancers on Nov. 24. He was 73.
“Temple was a part of a New York-based group of Vincentian calypsonians, which emerged within the mid-Eighties,” the Brooklyn-based, Vincentian-born McIntosh informed Caribbean Life solely, disclosing that Walter Porter, Darwin David, Annice Caruth, and Dan Simon – all deceased – had been additionally members of the group.
“Every artist recorded at his/her personal expense, and, though not each tune made the charts, many had been properly acquired by Caribbean communities in New York and past,” he added, stating that “Temple’s ‘Maintain the Cock and Pullet’ – double entendre evident – was an on the spot success.
“The tune’s title and storyline exemplified Temple’s jovial persona – all the time with a mischievous smile and witty remark,” McIntosh continued. “Because the musical arranger of the tune, I do recall that nobody within the studio might maintain a critical face whereas Temple recorded his lead vocals, demonstrating within the course of how one ought to ‘maintain the cock’.”
Daneth “Doppy” Dopwell, who owns a recording studio in Brooklyn, additionally informed Caribbean Life that Temple, a Brooklyn resident, had toured Canada along with his defunct Vincentian band, Asterisks, within the Eighties.
“He did a number of recordings with us,” mentioned Dopwell, who had performed the rhythm and lead guitars with Asterisks. “He was author, and he was humorous, too.
“That was my actual buddy; he was all the time cool,” added Dopwell, who paid his final respects to Temple at a funeral service in Brooklyn, at Concord Funeral Residence on Clarendon Highway, on Dec. 7, and on the last one in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on Dec. 22, the place Temple’s physique was afterward interred on the Fitz Hughes Cemetery in his house city of Chateaubelair.
Dopwell mentioned distinguished Vincentian calypsonian Alston “Becket” Cyrus was amongst mourners on the last funeral service at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Sharpes, Chateaubelair.
He disclosed that he had additionally recorded a few of Temple’s yet-to-be-released songs final yr.
Apart from “Maintain the Cock and Pullet,” Dopwell mentioned “Cow Itch” was one other well-liked Temple tune.
Vincentian calypsonian Oscar James, a founding member of the Vincentian Entertainers’ Guild of North America within the Eighties, mentioned Temple was additionally a bunch member.
James mentioned different founding members of the entertainers’ guild included Becket, Winston Soso, Darwin David, Tommy T, Walter Porter, Dan Simon, Cauldric Forbes, and broadcaster Don Bobb.
“He was a really affable man – very harmonious, very attentive once we had conferences,” mentioned James, a member of the Dynamites Calypso Tent, the lone Vincentian calypso tent in North America, about Temple.
“He all the time beloved to ask questions – good songwriter, good performer on stage,” added James, a co-founder of the defunct Affetuosos musical band in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who attended Temple’s funeral service in Brooklyn. “The viewers all the time beloved him – compelling performer on stage, crowd pleaser.
“The group all the time regarded ahead to Temple’s efficiency, particularly ‘Maintain the Cock and Pullet,’” he continued.
Based on the obituary – learn on the funeral service in Brooklyn, presided over by Chateaubelair native Pastor Wilmouth Seaton, by Temple’s first baby, Joycelyn King, who resides in Toronto, Temple, whose actual identify was Fitzroy Cornelius Edwards, was born on April 26, 1951 in Chateaubelair to Albertha Derrick and Webster Walker (deceased).
After finishing his elementary schooling on the Chateaubelair Methodist Faculty, Temple migrated to Trinidad and Tobago, the place he honed his expertise in masonry.
The obituary says that Temple was “a person of many abilities” and that he carried out as a “calypso artist,” with “Maintain the Cock and Pullet” being certainly one of his hit songs in 1985.
After Temple migrated to New York in 1985, the obituary says he continued to work as a mason whereas singing calypsos part-time, retiring from the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) after 25 years.
“He lived a quiet and private life,” the obituary says. “His nice persona was contagious to everybody he interacted with, and he made pals all over the place he went.
“He handed away on Nov. 24, 2024, after a brave battle with most cancers,” it provides. “He was surrounded by his family members, who will proceed to honor his legacy by dwelling their lives to the fullest.”
On the funeral service in Brooklyn, an MTA employee, who gave his identify as Eddie, spoke on behalf of his colleagues who paid their final respects. He mentioned Temple was “an actual mason.”
“Fitz (Temple) was a really exhausting employee,” he mentioned. “He beloved his household, and he beloved St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
In eulogizing his dad on the funeral service in Brooklyn, the place Pastor David Charles additionally officiated, Fitzroy James mentioned: “I admire all that he had completed for me. I like you, dad. Might his soul relaxation in peace.”
Temple was preceded in loss of life by his daughter Simone and brother Noel.
Apart from his mom Alberta Derrick, son Fitzroy, and daughter Joycelyn, Temple is survived by his different youngsters – Cherryann, Fitzbert, Nyasha, Jesselle, and Ayanna; grand-children – Isaac, Yannick, Malia, Kelis, Brandon, Danion, Olivia, and Scotlyn; siblings – Viola, Jestina, Susan, Kendrick and Norris; and lots of different kinfolk and pals.
