Attila the Hun (calypsonian)
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Attila The Hun was the name taken by the prominent calypsonian born Raymond Quevedo (March 24 1892 - February 22 1962). He began singing in 1911 and was at his most prominent in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of the pioneers in spreading awareness of calypso beyond its birthplace in Trinidad and Tobago. Together with the Roaring Lion (Rafael de Leon) he was brought calypso to the United States for the first time in 1934. Known as a defender of the poor, he was able to transition to a political career. When several of his records were censored he composed "The Banning of Records", which was itself banned.
Attilla was the first calypsonian to hold elected public office; he was elected to the Port-of-Spain City Council in 1946 and was elected to the Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago in 1950 representing the St. George County East. (See: Elections in Trinidad and Tobago). He also authored Attila's Kaiso: a short history of Trinidad calypso with John La Rose. It was published posthumously in 1983.
References
- Quevedo, Raymond (Atilla the Hun). 1983. Atilla's Kaiso: a short history of Trinidad calypso. University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. (Includes the words to many old calypsos as well as musical scores for some of Atilla's calypsos.)
- Hill, Donald R. 1993. Calypso: Early Carnival Music in Trinidad. University of Florida. (includes a CD of early calypso music.)