Mighty Sparrow honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at 2024 Caribbean Music Awards

At the 2024 Caribbean Music Awards, Mighty Sparrow, one of the most iconic Calypso singers, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for his incomparable contribution to music emanating from the Caribbean.

On August 29, the night of the Music Awards in Brooklyn, New York, at the King Theatre, was nothing but one full of celebration, cultural pride, and musical brilliance.

With six-decade of celebrated career within the genre, the icon affectionately known as the “Calypso King of the World”, Sparrow has had his career act as a touchstone for generations of artists to follow.

The highlight of the evening was the appearance of Machel Montano, one of the most popular Trinidadian Soca singers, who accompanied Mighty Sparrow on stage. Both these singers despite originating from different generations within Caribbean music, sang in one line mesmerizing all the audience members.

Caribbean Music Awards, the event being in the second years of its existence, is one of the leading festivals of Caribbean music with its influence witnessed throughout the world.

Dynamic performances of a varied lineup of artists such as Teejay, Morgan Heritage, and Nadine Sutherland amongst many others was staged at the event which was ushered in by Dancehall Queen, Spice and comedian Majah Hype.

The event night was a platform that recognized the careers of currently established artists as well as the up-and-coming ones, thus making sure that the Caribbean music history was brought to life.

Of last year honourees, the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Machel Montano was also a performer during this year’s show. His collaboration with Mighty Sparrow was most fitting to recall the deep roots and constantly varying faces of the worn-out tradition of Caribbean music.

Being a leading light of Soca music, Montano also stands tall for the propagation of Caribbean culture worldwide, hence, the thought of him on stage performing with Sparrow holds an emotionally deeper meaning.

The night was also filled with many other awards and accolades saluting the works of artists from various genres and islands. It also served to highlight the rich cultural tapestry that is the Caribbean and the great effect the culture has had on music worldwide.

Because the recognition of the Caribbean Music Awards is increasingly greater, now it is not only an event to recognize musical talent but also a reminder of the cultural contribution of that region.

This event indeed marked the epitome of Caribbean music: disparate yet bright, steeped in heritage and yet changing to reflect the modern landscape. The tribute paid to Mighty Sparrow was not for past achievements but a bridge that saluted his continued and indelible mark on the future of Caribbean music.