Rudder said he would continue to perform, but not on a large scale.

Veteran calypsonian David Rudder has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and has said his upcoming show, Rudder 7.0, will be his last major show.

Speaking to media in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Rudder said he would continue to perform, but not on a large scale.

“This show will be my last marathon show.”

The concert takes place on his 70th birthday on May 6 at Sound Forge, Woodbrook.

“Wayne, I can’t do four hours standing up on a stage again. To my fans I will say, don’t cry, I will still be around making music, this is just something that happens in life.

“I’ll continue to perform, but I will slow down when I feel I have to. The energy is still there.”

Rudder said in 2020, after his brother died, he felt something heavy in the air, which turned out to be the covid19 pandemic. He said he decided to check on himself, as he still felt something was wrong.

“The first thing I did was do some tests, and I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

“With that, I said, this concert may not be my last, I’ll keep playing, doing shows, but no more marathon four-hour shows.

“It brought me into a kind of space where I had to focus on me for the first time. I feel like I have to slow down, though the energy is still there for now. I have to take it easy and one step at a time, that’s one of the ways you are affected by this disease.”

Rudder said he would still be around and would share as much as he could until he felt he had to pull back.

“I have started writing my autobiography. I’m going back into my paintings. I want to get into copper work. I’ll be training young people and some other things, but that’s in the future. I want to go out and visit schools, though I know the disease can affect the way you talk, which might be a problem.”

Rudder said the support from his family since his diagnosis had been tremendous.

“They remind me when to take my medication and how much, that I need to get up and walk, all of these things.”

Rudder, discussing his upcoming concert, said he looked at Russia and the Ukraine, the murders in the US, and the problems here in TT.

“We forget the essence of why we are here living this life.

According to the US National Institute on Ageing, Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and co-ordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s and the rate of progression differ among individuals.