David Rudder

David Michael Rudder stands among the rare calypso performers who compose their own material, and his contributions helped launch a fresh chapter in the genre’s evolution. Standout tracks from his catalog encompass “Bahia Girl,” “Bacchanal Lady,” “Panama,” “Engine Room,” “Rally ’Round the West Indies,” “Knock Them Down,” and “The Ballad of Hulsie X.” The lead cut from his 1988 release Calypso Music ranks among the genre’s all-time commercial peaks. Steel drummer Andy Narrell later interpreted the headline song from Rudder’s 1986 album The Hammer as the centerpiece of one of his own projects. At the inaugural Caribbean Music Awards held at New York’s Apollo Theater, the 1990 album titled 1990 earned recognition as best calypso album of the year, while its title track took song-of-the-year honors at the Nefeita Awards. Rough and Ready, issued the next year, collected three Sunshine Awards. The Village Voice characterized Rudder as “the first of a new generation of calypsonians and he’s opening up a whole new way to write, sing, feel and see the thing. His music transcends culture, race, and class. You don’t have to be from Trinidad to feel the power and integrity of it. Things will never be the same again.” Born into a family of nine children in Belmont, Trinidad, Rudder spent much of his childhood under the care of his grandmother, a committed Baptist whose influence shaped him. The vocal traditions of Shango Baptists continue to underpin his sound. His vocal ability surfaced early; by age twelve he was already performing with the calypso ensemble Solutions. During his teenage years he supplied backing vocals in the calypso tent operated by Lord Kitchener and earned additional wages as an accountant at the Trinidad Bus Company. In 1977 he stepped in temporarily for Christopher “Tambu” Herbert, the frontman of Charlie’s Roots, and made such a strong impression that the band retained him as co-lead singer once Herbert recovered. Rudder has maintained his association with the group, appearing regularly in Peter Minshall’s Carnival productions.