Lord Kitchener

Aldwyn Roberts (18 April 1922 – 11 February 2000), better known by the stage name Lord Kitchener (or "Kitch"), was a Trinidadian calypsonian. He has been described as "the grand master of calypso" and "the greatest calypsonian of the post-war age".

Early life Roberts was born in Arima, Trinidad and Tobago, the son of a blacksmith, Stephen, and housewife, Albertha. He was educated at the Arima Boys Government School until he was 14, when his father died, leaving him orphaned. Within two years, Kitchener was a regular performer on BBC radio and was much in demand for live performances. He immortalised the defining moment for many of the migrants in writing the "Victory Calypso" with its lyrics "Cricket, Lovely Cricket" to celebrate the West Indies cricket team's first victory over England in England, in the Second Test at Lord's in June 1950. This was one of the first widely known West Indian songs, and epitomised an event that historian and cricket enthusiast C. L. R. James defined as crucial to West Indian post-colonial societies.

Kitchener opened a nightclub in Manchester, and had a successful residency at The Sunset in London. Further US performances followed in the mid-1950s. Later he moved towards soca, a related style, and continued recording until his death. Kitchener's compositions were enormously popular as the chosen selections for steel bands to perform at the annual National Panorama competition during Trinidad Carnival.

Kitchener saw the potential of the new soca phenomenon of the late 1970s and adopted the genre on a string of albums over the years that followed.

In 1993, a campaign was launched for Kitchener to receive the island's highest civilian honour, the Trinity Cross.

Family

In 1952, Kitchener met his future wife, Elsie Lines. They married in 1953, and lived for a period in Manchester where Kitchener ran a nightclub. The couple adopted a baby named Tyrone Roberts, and the family of three moved back to Trinidad. Kitchener and Elsie divorced in 1968. He later partnered with Valerie Green with whom he had four children (Christian, Kernel, Quweina and Kirnister Roberts), and had a relationship with Betsy Pollard.

Kitchener's son Kernal Roberts is also a performer, playing drums for soca band Traffik in the 1990s and for Xtatik in the early 2000s. He was also their musical director and is a composer of multiple Soca Monarch and Road March titles.

Merits + Winner of Carnival Road March Year Song 1946 "Jump in Line" 1963 "The Road" 1964 "Mama dis is Mas" 1965 "My Pussin'" 1967 "Sixty Seven" 1968 "Miss Tourist" 1970 "Margie" 1971 "Mas in Madison Square Garden" 1973 "Rainorama" 1975 "Tribute to Spree Simon" 1976 "Flag Woman"

+ Winner of Calypso Monarch Year Song 1 Song 2 1975 "Tribute to Spree Simon" "Fever" 1981 "Carnival Baby" (later redone by Alison Hinds)

Discography Birth of Ghana Birth (1957) Calypso Kitch (1960), RCA Victor Lord Kitchener (1964), RCA Victor Mr. Kitch (1965), RCA Victor King of Calypso (1965), Melodisc Kitch 67 (1966) RCA Victor King of the Road (1969), Tropico Sock It to Me Kitch (1970), Tropico Curfew Time (1971), Trinidad Hot Pants (1972), Trinidad/Straker's We Walk 100 Miles with 'Kitch (1973), Trinidad Tourist in Trinidad with Kitch (1974), Trinidad Carnival Fever (1975), Trinidad Sings Calypsos (With And Without Social Significance) (1975), Sounds of the Caribbean Home for Carnival (1976), Kalinda Hot and Sweet (1976), Charlie's Melody Of The 21st Century (1977), Charlie's Spirit of Carnival (1978), Trinidad Shooting with Kitch (1980), Charlie's Kitch Goes Soca - Soca Jean (1980), Charlie's Authenticity (1981), Charlie's 200 Years Of Mass (1982), Charlie's Simply Wonderful (1983), Trinidad The Master At Work (1984), Kalico The Grand Master (1986), B's Kitch On The Equator (1986), Benmac TrinGhana "Haunting Melodies" (1987), Trinighana - with Little Joe Ayesu 100% Kitch (1987), B's A Musical Excursion (1989), JW Productions The Honey In Kitch (1991), MC Productions Roadmarch & Panorama King Still #1 (1991), JW Productions Longevity (1993), JW Productions Still Escalating (1994), JW Productions Ah Have It Cork (1995), JW Productions Incredible Kitch (1996), JW Productions Symphony On The Street (1997), JW Productions Classic Kitch (1999), JW Productions