Walter Ferguson (singer-songwriter) facts for kids
Walter Ferguson Byfield (born May 7, 1919 – died February 25, 2023) was a famous singer and songwriter from Costa Rica. He was born in Panama. He was known for his calypso songs. People in his hometown of Cahuita often called him Mr. Gavitt or Segundo.
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Walter Ferguson's Life Story
Walter Ferguson was born in Guabito, Panama, on May 7, 1919. He was the oldest of six children. His father, Melsha Lorenzo Ferguson, was a farmer from Jamaica. He worked for the United Fruit Company. His mother, Sarah Byfield Dykin, was a seamstress and baker. She was from Costa Rica with Jamaican family roots.
When Walter was two years old, his family moved. They went from Panama to Cahuita. This is a small fishing village in the Limón province of Costa Rica. Walter lived there for the rest of his long life. He almost never left his beloved Cahuita.
Early Musical Talent
Walter showed a love for music from a very young age. He was a natural talent. He once said that he started singing before he was six years old. He would sing along whenever he heard someone else singing. His mother believed he would become a great musician. She thought he would never need to work on a farm.
When he was seven, his mother sent him to Limón. This is a port city in the Caribbean. He went to live with his aunt Doris. She offered to help him learn to read, write, and play piano. But young Walter did not like his aunt's strict rules. He soon asked to go back to Cahuita.
Walter learned to play many instruments by himself. He never had formal music lessons. He played the dulzaina, harmonica, ukulele, guitar, and clarinet. The clarinet was his favorite instrument. He was inspired by older calypso singers. These included Mighty Sparrow and Papa Houdini. Walter started writing his own songs. He also joined calypso music contests along the Caribbean coast.
Performing with Bands
Mr. Gavitt often performed alone. He would play his old Martin guitar. But he also played in groups. In his thirties, he started his first calypso band. They played at local festivals and events. Sometimes they earned a few colones. Other times, they played just to "bring some happiness." He especially enjoyed playing at weddings for couples who didn't have much money.
In his forties, he formed another band called "Los Miserables." This group became well-known locally. They played many Caribbean music styles. These included guaracha, rumba, and bolero. The band broke up after a small fight between two members. Walter quit the band because of their behavior. He promised never to play the clarinet again. He kept this promise for the rest of his life.
Life as a Farmer
Even though music was a big part of his life, it was not his main job. Walter worked as a farmer his whole life. This helped him support his large family. He married Julia Drummond, a childhood friend and neighbor. She passed away in 2016 at 87 years old. Together, they had ten children and eight grandchildren.
Walter Ferguson turned 100 years old in May 2019. He passed away on February 25, 2023, at the age of 103.
Walter Ferguson's Music Career
Walter Ferguson's music career lasted over seventy years. His work is a great example of Afro-Caribbean culture.
He wrote his first calypso song, "A sailing boat," in his twenties. This was during WWII. He wrote about 200 songs in his lifetime. Some famous ones include "Cabin in the Wata," "Callaloo," and "Carnaval Day."
Song Themes and Language
His songs often talked about his life as a farmer. They also shared his strong belief in God. He sang about the daily life, problems, and joys of the small towns along Costa Rica's coast. He wrote his songs with humor and sadness. He used the local Creole English language.
Walter explained that English was his first language. But Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica. So, everyone in Cahuita speaks both languages. He sang in Spanish a few times. These were mostly Boleros or Guarachas. If they were calypsos, they were just translations of his English songs. He never wrote new songs in Spanish.
Walter's simple and powerful singing made him famous. He was admired by folk musicians in Costa Rica's Central Valley. He also inspired new calypso music among city musicians in Limón. He influenced other Costa Rican musicians. Manuel Monestel and Danny Williams recorded his songs. This helped keep calypso music alive in Costa Rica. Walter always called Danny Williams his successor.
Cassette Recordings
Walter Ferguson recorded his music on cassette tapes. He did this by himself over many years.
In the late 1970s, one of his sons gave him a cassette recorder. He started recording himself on tapes. He would then sell these tapes to travelers and music lovers. This gave him some extra money.
He found clever ways to record his music despite technical limits. He used a lo-fi method to add extra voices. He said, "I have two cassettes, I sing on one and when I'm done I copy it back and put another one in the recorded, so when I sing behind that, you hear two voices." He made these home-recorded tapes from the late 1970s to the late 1990s. Then he decided to mostly stop making music. He only performed sometimes.
Walter never wrote down the words or music for his songs. He also never made copies of his tapes. So, each tape was a special, one-of-a-kind recording.
In 2018, his son Peck Ferguson and Niels Werdenberg started a project. It was called "The Walter Ferguson Tape Hunt." They wanted to find all of Mr. Gavitt's forgotten songs. This was to get ready for his 100th birthday in May 2019.
Vinyl Records
Walter Ferguson was already a local legend. In 1982, he recorded his first vinyl album. It was called “Mr Gavitt: Costa Rican calypso.” This album had some of his most famous songs. It was produced by Michael Williams, a music expert from America. It was released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. The album also had English translations of the song lyrics and a short story about Walter. But the sound quality was not very good. So, the album was not sold much in Costa Rica.
In 1986, another music company, Indica, produced his second vinyl. It was called "Calypsos del Caribe de Costa Rica" (Calypsos from the Caribbean Costa Rica). This album had different songs. It also included some lyrics in English. A local historian named Paula Palmer wrote a short story about Walter for it.
Compact Discs
In 2002, Walter Ferguson finally recorded his first high-quality CD. This happened with help from Papaya Music.
The producers at Papaya Music faced a challenge. Mr. Gavitt, who was 83, did not want to travel to San José. This is the capital city. So, they brought the recording studio to Cahuita. They set it up at his family's hotel, "Sol y Mar." This hotel is near the Cahuita National Park. They used mattresses and rugs to make one of the rooms quiet. This helped block out sounds from parrots, dogs, buses, and trucks. It also helped them record his voice and guitar separately.
Finally, "Babylon" was released in 2003. Walter Ferguson's music was then recognized and loved by many more people. The CD had thirteen original songs. Only Walter and his guitar were on it. It became a success in Costa Rica and other countries. People loved its clever lyrics and the unique way it was recorded.
Walter Ferguson was already a legend on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. But "Babylon" and his second CD, "Dr Bombodee" (2004), made him famous again. They brought back his status as a great calypso artist.
In 2013, the annual Walter Ferguson International Calypso Festival started in Cahuita. It was created to honor him.
In 2017, he received the Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial "Emilia Prieto Tugores" prize. This award recognizes important cultural heritage.
Discography
Albums
- Mr. Gavitt – Calypso of Costa Rica (LP), 1982
- Calipsos Del Caribe De Costa Rica (LP, Album), 1986
- Calypsos – Afro-Limonese Music Of Costa Rica (CD, Comp, RE), 1991
- Babylon, 2003
- Dr. Bombodee, 2004
- Dr. Bombodee & Babylon (2xCD, Album, Ltd, RE), 2014
Singles and EPs
- King Of Calypso / Going To Bocas, 1982
Compilations
- King Of Calypso Limonense (The Legendary Tape Recordings, Vol. 1), 1982
See also
In Spanish: Walter Ferguson para niños
