by Ryan Bachoo (Trinidad Guardian) Calypsonian turned gospel artiste Denyse Plummer died yesterday after a long battle with cancer. She was 69 years.
Plummer, who produced many top songs such as Nah Leaving, which became a national anthem for patriotic Trinidadians, and Heroes, which earned her the Calypso Monarch back in 2001, and Woman is Boss had been one of T&T’s leading female calypsonians. She would later change her life as a born-again Christian, giving up the artform she struggled very hard to gain acceptance in.
A month ago, the country got a major scare when rumours circulated that she had died. Yesterday, many fans and well-wishers desperately tried to ensure the information had been verified before making comments or posts, especially on social media
Her passing also came a few days after the country lost another icon, historian/author Michael Anthony, last week.
Plummer made her national onstage debut in 1986 at the Calypso Fiesta in Skinner Park and despite facing challenges from a hostile crowd, progressed to be one of the country’s most decorated calypsonians. She was the child of a white father and black mother. Her complexion saw her facing much prejudice in an environment that was seen traditionally as afro-Trinidadian but male-dominated.
