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Dukes 2020-05-23 21:26:50 

Popular Queen's College Alumnus and top class musician Derry Etkins passed away this morning in Georgetown.I have known Derry since I was a pre-teen and he was playing the organ in our school band, the Syncoms.He was an engaging figure and taught music in schools in both Barbados and I think Tortola before returning to Guyana to retire a couple years ago after the island was hit by a devastating hurricane.Derry was the consummate musical aficionado and was passionate about Caribbean people composing and celebrating our own music.He had a Facebook page that exhorted every citizen to be a musician.
His passing has come as a shock to all of us QC alumni and after Bishops High School lost one of their own today it is now our turn. May he Rest In Peace and Rise in Glory.
WALK GOOD DERKINS.

 
FuzzyWuzzy 2020-05-23 23:05:23 

In reply to Dukes

I had a few social media conversations with him. He's a cool guy.

My condolences

 
Chrissy 2020-05-23 23:06:52 

In reply to Dukes

Real sad man cry

 
analyst-kid 2020-05-23 23:17:34 

I was hoping this wasn’t true. My long-standing friend and calypso arranger for over 20 years.

He was with me when I was President of the Enterainers Union as an executive member.I invited him and voted him in
He was with me when my longstanding Trini arranger Patches Mendoza passed in 2005 and he took over my arrangements even sending back the music by email when he was in Tortola. When I won in 2005 and 2006 it was his arrangements on one song each.
Every time he came back to Barbados he called me.

This was my dear friend. So cool and very nice...tonight I feel empty.

 
Dukes 2020-05-24 00:00:42 

In reply to analyst-kid

Derry Etkins

 
Chrissy 2020-05-24 00:17:10 

In reply to analyst-kid

So sad

 
JayMor 2020-05-24 00:17:30 

In reply to Dukes

May Master Derry rest in peace.

Cycling through the pics just now, I caught myself making a silly statement: "He doesn't look like a death candidate". Sorry to hear.

--Æ.

 
Dukes 2020-05-24 00:25:24 

EVERY CITIZEN A MUSICIAN



EVERY VILLAGE A CONCERT VENUE




From Derry's Facebook Page

 
WestDem 2020-05-24 00:27:29 

RIP big man!

 
Dukes 2020-05-24 00:41:36 

A great human being

 
Dukes 2020-05-24 22:44:07 

Derry on piano

 
voiceofreason 2020-05-24 23:45:36 

In reply to Dukes

Derry was a Caribbean Musical Gem and a Gem of a Human being. He influenced many and left and indelible impression on many musicians and persons from BVI to BArbados to Guyana.

Met Derry here in Tortola where he was a school teacher. I had just won the first of my three consecutive calypso crowns and a friend put me on to him. I was a bit reluctant at first because I had just won my first crown with one arranger, so thought why should I try to tinker with that? However what convinced me was his traditional style and understanding of the calypso arrangement so I took the chance and the rest became history. Two more crowns. We also did two runner ups and we had plans for this year to do new tracks and complete some unfinished material.

After the catastrophic Hurricane Irma the private school reorganized and unfortunately made his position redundant. He was very disappointed, but for every disappointment there is a blessing right around the corner. He went back to Guyana and landed as he told me his dream job teaching at the Teachers College so I was happy for him.


I remember seeing a video with Derry in a Teachers’ race and he was like the star of the show; Usain Bolt like warmups in a sport suit, then undressing into a sports vest and some tights in front of an excited and supportive crowd. He did not come near first in the race but the pre race show alone he was the winner. He was a showman! He was a classic !

Last heard from him two weeks ago when he sent me his performance version of the COVID-19 extempo. Did not realize that would be our last communication. He was eccentric, a bit of a loner yet he had a great sense of humor, a love for music and teaching like no other. He was a special Man and I am honored to have worked with him as he was the consummate professional.

Deepest condolences to his family and friends like Dukes. God blessed you Derry and you shared those blessing with us.

RIP.

 
hubert 2020-05-25 00:00:29 

In reply to Dukes


Condolences on the passing of your friend, Derry.
Anyone who moots and lives this

EVERY CITIZEN A MUSICIAN



EVERY VILLAGE A CONCERT VENUE


was a very special individual indeed because he left an eternal mark.

R.I.P

 
POINT 2020-05-25 00:03:09 

In reply to Dukes

Thanks for sharing , may he Rest in Peace .

 
Dukes 2020-05-25 00:13:05 

In reply to hubert

Thanks Hubie. Derry was a one of a kind guy.He made an impact on all who were privileged to call him a friend.

 
Dukes 2020-05-25 00:13:22 

In reply to voiceofreason

Check your PM

 
Dukes 2020-05-25 00:13:47 

In reply to analyst-kid

Check your PM.

 
analyst-kid 2020-05-25 05:57:58 

I had just won the first of my three consecutive calypso crowns and a friend put me on to him. I was a bit reluctant at first because I had just won my first crown with one arranger, so thought why should I try to tinker with that? However what convinced me was his traditional style and understanding of the calypso arrangement so I took the chance and the rest became history. Two more crowns.




amazing that he worked with me in winning the last TWO crowns of a hatrick in Calypso and the exact same thing with VOR! In my case after winning in 2004 my arranger Patches Mendoza ( who arranged Sparrow's Soca Pressure and Stalin's We could Make it if We try) died in early 2005. DERRY who I had worked with in 2001 was there to comfort and took over the reins as my arranger.

 
culpepperboy 2020-05-25 12:33:54 

Excellent arranger. Thought he was bajan. Just goes to show that nationality is artificial and irrelevant.

 
doosra 2020-05-25 12:37:17 

learned of the death of the mother of a close friend...they had to do zoom funeral

knowing the family, i can only imagine how difficult that was

the death is terrible enough...saying goodbye via zoom to someone you knew all your damn life must be one of the most painful thing one can experience

 
Curtis 2020-05-25 13:03:39 

Didn't know this brother but it looks like he left his mark. RIP.

 
Dukes 2020-05-25 13:06:40 

In reply to culpepperboy


Excellent arranger. Thought he was b.ajan. Just goes to show that nationality is artificial and irrelevant.


Same ship, different drop off point.

GT/Baje different sides of the same coin. Lloyd,Gibbs,Butcher,RIRI. and me.All ah we ah one family.

 
POINT 2020-05-25 13:41:11 

In reply to Dukes

I hear You , I have always concluded that the Bajan accent and the Guyanese
accent are very similar , and somewhere
along the line there was a connection .

 
analyst-kid 2020-05-25 16:01:43 

In reply to POINT

When I hear certain Guyanese talking I does have to strain and listen to them good to diffrentiate from a Bajan from the urban area.

Heard Clyde Butts doing color commentary he sounded like a Bajan from town.

This man Derry Etkins have so much admirers in Barbados...From students to teachers to accomplished musicians to singers to calypsonians to dramatists to playwrights...that love for him was great.

 
FuzzyWuzzy 2020-05-25 16:23:19 

In reply to Dukes

GT/Baje different sides of the same coin. Lloyd,Gibbs,Butcher,RIRI. and me.All ah we ah one family.


One day at the mecca an afrocentric guyanese was giving malcolm Marshall stick. A young indo started to take on the guyanese for taunting Marshall

The guyanese turned pon he and started to rattle of the bajan guyanese connection and tell the young Indian to stay out of our business. Then he and some Bajans buss some rum and celebrate.

 
sudden 2020-05-25 16:26:10 

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

you sure he was a guyanese and not a bajan pretending to be a guyanese?

in a generation or 2 the indo guyanese will say the same thing big grin

 
Dukes 2020-05-25 16:50:59 

In reply to sudden

You do know that Dipper Barrow was born in Essequibo and he get de name Dipper when dem boys throw he in de Essequibo river and tell he parents that he went fuh a dip.dem get so mad that dem left de country and go to Barbados and de rest is history!!!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 
FuzzyWuzzy 2020-05-25 16:52:20 

In reply to sudden

What happened to Would and Where? big grin big grin

 
sudden 2020-05-25 17:02:07 

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

i wood answer but i wood like to know weir is powen first. if i weir Powen i wood not be going indar neck of the wood- something weird happening