A master of picong, pioneer of traditional Barbadian music, professional.
Those were some of the ways people referred to Oliver St Clair Broome, or Lord Radio, as he was known, who passed away on Saturday morning.
He was 83 years old, and would have celebrated another birthday on November 21.
Born at Diamond Road, St Peter, Lord Radio grew up in Speightstown, and at age 14 earned the nickname “the walking radio” after he returned from visiting a relative in the City, singing all of the popular songs that could only be heard on the radio at the time.
He spent 55 years in the music industry, as a member of Bimshire Boys and a solo performer. He also managed Sophisticated Sounds and Fun Five.
Lord Radio was awarded a Barbados Service Medal for his contribution to the tourism industry as an entertainer, taxi driver and waiter. He spent 30 years in tourism, at one point performing at five hotels seven nights a week. He could be heard at the Hilton, Sandy Lane, Sam Lord’s Castle, Holiday Inn, Heywoods, Silver Sands, Rockley, Sunset Crest and other places. He also performed in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and closer to home in the Caribbean.
“I would be in a rush. I use to jump out the car and ask the policeman to find someone to park it for me down by Pebbles until I return.
“From 1962 to 1986, I have been travelling with the Board of Tourism to many international destinations to promote tourism in Barbados. These travels have allowed me to meet people from all over the world, especially with Expo 1967 in Canada, where I met thousands of people,” he recalled in an interview years later.
His signature song was Yours Sincerely, and after being absent from calypso for many years, returned in the 1980s with Faces.
In the latter years, he used a wheelchair and was an amputee who battled diabetes. He was married to Shirley for many years. (SAT)
