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Interviews at Mighty Terror's Funeral
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: March 19, 2007
 | | | Mighty Terror | |
On March 14, 2007, Mr. Fitzgerald Cornelius 'Mighty Terror' Henry, popularly known as 'The Golden Voice' died at the age of eighty-six after a prolonged battle with cancer. Funeral services for Mr. Henry were held on the 19th March, 2007, at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Port of Spain thence to the St. James Crematorium where his body was cremated.
TriniSoca.com interviewed some of Trinidad and Tobago's renowned Calypsonians, Mas people and musicians who were gathered at Mr. Henry's funeral to commemorate his many achievements and contributions to the art form. These are their testimonies:
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Reginald 'My Dear' Mc Cloud
 | | | Reginald Mc Cloud | |
My name is Reginald Mc Cloud. In the Calypso world they call me 'My Dear'. I really do not sing but I work in the Calypso Revue. Terror was a kind of family to me. My cousin was his son's mother. His work was all right. He made two great Calypsos, "The Steelband" and "Chinese Children Calling Me Daddy". Those are the two songs that I love and I have them at home. I know we will all miss him. At some time you have to miss people. You will miss your own self too sometimes.
Robert 'Mighty Trini' Elias
 | | | Robert 'Mighty Trini' Elias | |
Terror has been a friend of my father Nagib and the Elias family for many years. He always produced a Carnival magazine which we were a part of. Other than that, I worked with Terror and the Mighty Sparrow when I started in 1984 and for many years after. When people die they tend to only say good things about them. Terror was a humble and simple human being. He was a man of integrity and a man on time. I guess he learned that from the British. His wife Gloria, who I brought here this morning, is similar to him. I ran ten minutes late for her and I got a flogging. It is always a pleasure to do good.
I am a member of TUCO. I am one of the elected trustees. I work in the PR department with my president, Mr. Michael Legerton hence the reason I am here in this portfolio this morning. I was appointed by Mr. Legerton to act in this manner.
Everyone knows Terror for his golden voice and the talent he had for writing melodies. He never repeated a melody. He did some fantastic tunes for pan hence the reason, too, I invited Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe today to be part of the program. It will be a memorable day for all of us and a man to be remembered always. I know that Pantrinbago will also remember Fitzgerald 'Mighty Terror' Henry, other than his brothers and sisters in the Calypso fraternity.
People should always remember death is on our door and we should always get some sort of provision ready so that when the day comes, you and your family are ready to face the Lord. Terror was treated well to the end. He was in a home in Curepe. But if the convalescence home was completed, which it would be (we have already turned the sod and all of that), he would have been there. That is what it is for. It is for our own. As it is said, TUCO takes care of their own. But, everything takes time. Trinidad is not easy to get things done overnight. We are dealing with government, TUCO and Calypsonians. Sometimes I get a little depressed because things are not happening overnight. But it will happen under the leadership of Michael Legerton. I expect plenty more to happen as has happened in this past three years. I know more is going to happen. The sod was turned and I know from reports from my president that funds have been approved by Cabinet. Right now it is in the hands of the contractors and the engineers. It is only a matter of time before we start that thing. I do not want to earmark a date but I know it will be very soon.
Alvin Daniell
 | | | Alvin Daniell | |
My thoughts for a legend of Calypso and also as a personal friend, I think of Terror from the point of view for the numerous times he would call my wife and I at home, crack a little joke on the phone pretending he was George Bush and listening to him sometimes calling in on the radio stations and say, "I ain't hear meh tune for the last week. What wrong with you all? I am sure you all have my music in the library". But it was always in a pleasant manner, never antagonistic. He was an easy person to relate to and chat with. I admired his way of going about things in terms of the way he dressed, the way he spoke and how he represented himself fully, always with his Humming Bird medal pinned to his lapel. He was proud of his achievements. He was never antagonistic and always complimentary to everything that was going on around him in the world of Calypso.
He has left me memorable Calypsos. In fact, from an early age of seven or eight years old, I remember singing tunes like "Chinese Children Calling Me Daddy". We used to have a lot of fun as children going left, right, front and behind me. I remember there was a neighbour of mine who had a monkey and we used to love singing the "Little Monkey", saying that was the monkey Terror sang about.
Going through the years, who can forget tunes like "Pan Talent", "Last Year's Happiness", "Pan in Tune", and melodies that you almost cannot forget. It seems to be a lost art today for people to come up with these tuneful songs that you want to sing everyday.
I think if we have to remember Terror, we have to remember the things he said in terms of advice to the younger artistes like, "Be true to yourself, be true to the Calypso, be authentic and do not try to water down the art form." He represents the last of a generation that represented what we call true, true Calypso. I am here today to pay my last respects to him. We better look at some of the other legends that are still around and acknowledge them and make sure that we get all the information about them. Even today we have confusion about the date of his birth. His wife confirmed it was 1920. When we have these confusions it means that we haven't done our homework in terms of documenting all the information relevant to our heroes.
Willard 'Relator' Harris
 | | | Willard 'Relator' Harris | |
The first full length concert that I had which was called 'Nostalgia', Terror was my guest artiste. That was because I was an admirer of him when I was still at school. When I became the 'Lord Relator' and I had put on my first live concert, Terror being one of my idols, was the first guest artiste. Some of Terror's songs that stood out for me were "Pan Talent", "Steelband Jamboree" "Last Year Happiness", 'Female Woodcutter", "Calaloo Tonic", "Keep Calypso Clean", "My Suggestion" and the list goes on and on. He was an icon. Upcoming Calypsonians can learn from listening to what Terror has done. They can sit down and listen to the tapes, DVDs or CDs and they would learn. All the history and information are documented in the Calypsos. In terms of information, let me say that Calypso is an under-utilized data base. To the young people, I say just listen to what the people did before and you have a lot to learn. I want him to rest in peace.
Ivan 'Ventura' Ellis
 | | | Ivan Ellis | |
I have known Terror since 1979 singing Calypso at the Revue. We had a cordial relationship. I respect him as a Calypsonian and I appreciate the work he did over the years. He always had something to say to make you laugh and so on. One of his songs that stood out for me was "Pan Talent". I learned that song and I used to sing it when I was a little boy. In growing up I never knew I would have worked with him in the same tent later on in life. May his soul rest in peace.
Continue ...
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The Mighty Terror is Remembered
By TriniSoca.com Reporters : March 21, 2007
Eulogy for Fitzgerald Henry aka 'Mighty Terror'
By Alvin C. Daniell : March 21, 2007
Remembering the Mighty Terror in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68441
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