Mighty Gabby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mighty Gabby
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Mighty Gabby performing live, February 2012
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anthony Carter |
| Born | 30 March 1948 Emmerton, Barbados |
| Genres | Folk, ringbang, calypso |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Labels | Ice |
Anthony Carter (born March 30, 1948), known as Mighty Gabby or just Gabby, is a famous singer from Barbados. He is known for his calypso and folk songs. Gabby is also a special Cultural Ambassador for his home island. This means he represents Barbados and its culture around the world.
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Gabby's Musical Journey
Gabby was born in a place called Emmerton in Barbados. He got the nickname "Gabby" when he was a child. His music career took off in 1968. That year, his song "Heart Transplant" helped him win the top prize, the Barbados Calypso Monarch title. He won this important award again in 1969 with his song "Family Planning."
Early Career and Acting
After his first wins, Gabby took a break from singing to try acting. He joined a group called the Barbados Theater Workshop. He even wrote a lot of the music for their play, Under the Duppy Parasol. This play was very popular and was performed in New York.
Returning to Music and Crop Over Success
Gabby returned to music in 1976. His song "Licks Like Fire" brought him more success at the Crop Over festival. Crop Over is a big festival in Barbados. He won the 'Folk Singer of the Year' award three years in a row, from 1977 to 1979. His winning songs were "Riots in the Land," "Bridgetown," and "Bajan Fisherman." In 1979, he also won the Crop Over Road March title with "Burn Mr Harding." After this, he even went on a music tour in Cuba.
Songs That Made a Statement
Gabby is known for singing about important issues. In 1985, his song "Cadavers" caused a lot of discussion. It was about a government plan to store bodies from the US in Barbados. He also sang about other topics like AIDS in his song "The List." His song "Jack" talked about how some foreign visitors were treated better than locals in the tourist industry. Another song, "Boots," questioned the government's help in a military action in Grenada.
More Calypso Monarch Wins
Gabby continued to be a top calypso singer. He won the Calypso Monarch title for a third time in 1985 with his song "West Indian Politician." In the late 1980s, he worked with famous singer and producer Eddy Grant. This helped Gabby's music reach even more people. He won the Calypso Monarch title four more times: in 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2010.
Honors and Recognition
In 2004, Gabby was given the special title of Cultural Ambassador of Barbados. This means he helps share Barbadian culture with the world. In 2011, he was featured on a TV show segment called "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" on NBC. In 2012, he received an honorary Doctor of Letter degree from the University of the West Indies. This is a high academic honor.
In 2007, Gabby was given the title of a Nigerian chief. This happened during a special service in Barbados. He was given the name Omowale, which means "our son has returned." This honor was also part of a celebration for Black Civilisation Day. Many people see Gabby as the most important folk singer in Barbados.
Gabby's Awards and Titles
Gabby has won many awards throughout his career:
- Calypso Monarch: 1968, 1969, 1985, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2010
- Crop Over: 1976, 1977, 1985
- Folk Singer of the Year: 1977, 1978, 1979
- Crop Over Road March: 1979, 1982
Images for kids
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Mighty Gabby performing live in February 2012.
