The Mighty Sparrow, the Grenadian-born singer who became one of the defining voices of Trinidad and Tobago and carried calypso to audiences around the world, has died in Queens, New York, at 91.

Sparrow, whose given name was Slinger Francisco, died Sunday at a hospital, according to his daughter, Karen Francisco. For more than six decades, he used music to chronicle Caribbean life, challenge political leaders, explore social issues and entertain generations with a distinctive voice and commanding stage presence.

His death marks the passing of one of calypso’s most influential performers, an artist who remained active well into his later years and continued performing in Trinidad, New York and elsewhere.

Sparrow began his professional career in the mid-1950s and quickly became a major force in a genre long used for social commentary in the English-speaking Caribbean. He won Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival Road March competition eight times and was crowned Calypso Monarch eight times.

His reputation extended far beyond the Caribbean. Gen. Colin L. Powell, the former U.S. secretary of state whose parents were from the West Indies, described Sparrow as the “Mount Olympus of Calypso.” Bob Dylan praised him in the liner notes to his 1985 boxed set “Biograph,” calling him “king” when it came to concepts, intelligence and wordplay.

Sparrow was also known as Birdie, a nickname older calypsonians gave him because of his constant movement on stage and the fact that Sparrow is a bird. He adopted the name, turning an insult into part of his public identity.

His physical energy became a trademark. Even in old age, he retained the ability to perform the jumps and gyrations that made him a celebrated live performer. Jon Pareles of The New York Times once described him as “a hip shaker nonpareil.”

Sparrow understood what calypso represented. The music developed centuries ago among Africans enslaved on Caribbean plantations and became an important form of communication for working people.

“It was used to make fun of the masters, to relieve oppression and bring the news of the day,” Sparrow told The Times in 1992. “It finally emerged as the mouthpiece for the underprivileged.”

He embraced that tradition throughout his career. His songs addressed politics, colonialism, race, relationships, sexuality and everyday life, often using humour, irony and double entendre.

One of his earliest major successes was “Jean and Dinah,” released in 1956. The song examined the lives of Trinidad’s prostitutes following the closure of American military bases on the island. Harry Belafonte and actor Robert Mitchum later recorded the song.

Sparrow’s political writing continued throughout his career. “Barack the Magnificent” expressed his support for Barack Obama during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. During the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, he released “Don’t Touch Meh President,” mixing political commentary with humour.

His irreverence extended to royalty. In “Phillip, My Dear,” Sparrow imagined Queen Elizabeth II describing an encounter with another man in her bedroom, using the scenario to poke fun at the British monarchy and the legacy of empire.

Other notable recordings included “Saltfish,” “Congo Man,” “Hot and Sweet,” “Dancing Shoes” and “King of the World.” Several of his albums were later reissued by Smithsonian Folkways.

Sparrow also changed the sound of calypso. Rather than remain with the simple guitar-based arrangements associated with earlier performers, he incorporated brass, jazz, swing and bebop. Later, he incorporated elements of reggae and soca.

Born July 9, 1935, in Grand Roy, Grenada, Sparrow moved with his family to Trinidad as a baby after his carpenter father found work there. He sang in a church choir as a boy before becoming immersed in calypso as a teenager.

His career eventually took him around the world. He performed at major New York venues, including Madison Square Garden, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Symphony Space and S.O.B.’s. He appeared at Joe’s Pub in 2019 and Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center in 2021.

In 1990, he performed at Yankee Stadium before Nelson Mandela, who had recently been released from prison. Sparrow sang “Slave,” a composition dealing with African enslavement and the Caribbean experience.

His contributions were recognised with numerous honours. He received the Order of the Caribbean, the region’s highest honour, in 2001 and a lifetime achievement award from the consulate general of Trinidad and Tobago in New York in 2013. He also served as grand marshal of the Caribbean Day parade in Brooklyn.

Although he spent much of his later life in the United States, Sparrow maintained a strong connection to Trinidad and Tobago. He lived in Jamaica, Queens, and regularly returned to the Caribbean.

In January 2011, the Trinidad Express reported that Sparrow had arrived in Port of Spain after time abroad. Then 75, he was so delighted to be home that he sang and danced through the airport.

Sparrow’s death closes a career spanning more than 60 years, but the songs that made him a defining voice of calypso continue to document the history, humour and struggles of the Caribbean.

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