Lord Pretender

Lord Pretender (8 September 1917 – 22 January 2002) was the stage name of Aldric Farrell, M.O.M., H.B.M. a calypsonian vocalist born on the island of Tobago widely acknowledged to be a "master" of extempo, a lyrically improvised form of calypso music. Starting with an impromptu performance at the age of 12, his career spanned nearly seven decades until cancer of the larynx forced him to retire in the mid-1990s.

In 1957, Lord Pretender won the prestigious "Calypso King" competition. Honoured by the Trinidad and Tobago government for his services to calypso in 1972, he went on to receive the island's Hummingbird Medal in 1994.

Career Farrell's mother went to the United States to look for work and left him, at a young age, with his maternal grandmother in Trinidad.

He made his first public performance at the age of 12 in 1929, when he delivered a self-composed calypso about the ghost of a young girl.

Early appearances quickly gained Farrell popularity and earned him the moniker "the Boy Wonder", though he soon reverted to "Pretender", a previous nickname from his school days. Wealth did not automatically follow success in the business; when Pretender accompanied fellow calypsonian Executor on a tour lasting over a month, he received just 60 cents and two bags of oranges as payment. and in 1939 he placed third in the original "Calypso King" competition, an event he later won in 1957 with his version of "Que Será, Será". The honour of being crowned calypso monarch was regarded by the islanders as the ultimate achievement for any calypsonian.

In 1972, Pretender received his first national award, the Trinidad & Tobago Public Service Medal of Merit Silver (for Calypso), from Governor-General Sir Solomon Hochoy. The following year, he competed against Roaring Lion, Viper, the Great Unknown and Owl, in a calypso contest, after which Lord Pretender was honoured as king of extempo.

Pretender stressed social commentary in calypso, and throughout his career stayed with oratorical ballads. According to Rapso artist Brother Resistance, Pretender had "zero tolerance for calypsonians who ignored lyrical content in their song,"

In "Yo No Quiero Trabajo", Lord Pretender tells of the commonly held perception by men of the time that dating a rich white woman led to an increase in respect:

Extempo Pretender was widely considered "master" of extempo, a lyrically improvised form of calypso music, which at the time was held to be the supreme form of calypso. "What the West Indies Really Needs" (1946) "Federation" (1952) "The Gomes Report" (1953) "Why BG Will Not See Royalty" (1955) "Never Ever Worry" (1961)

Compilations Cause The Coup Never Ever Worry True True Kaisonian What Cause The Coup Moral Decay Move Yuh Foot God Made Us All Illegitimate Children Everybody Love We Carnival Human Race Stop Meddling With The Moon They Didn't Make Them Like That Anymore Leave We Mas In The Savannah Never Ever Worry