Pan Man Pat McNeilly pays heartfelt tribute to lifelong friend Bill Trotman

By Staff Writer

Steelpan pioneer Patrick “Pan Man Pat” McNeilly has paid an emotional tribute to his longtime friend Bill Trotman, remembering the celebrated performer, artist and cultural ambassador as a man whose influence on Caribbean culture stretched across generations and whose friendship endured for more than half a century.

Unable to attend Friday’s celebration of Trotman’s life, McNeilly asked that his message be read on his behalf, describing Trotman as his stage mentor and one of the most important figures in his personal and artistic journey.

“Bill and I shared a friendship that spanned more than fifty years,” McNeilly wrote. “He was my stage mentor and I have never forgotten the guidance and confidence that he gave me early on.”

Their friendship extended well beyond the stage. McNeilly recalled that during the 1980s Trotman stopped by his downtown Toronto apartment for what was intended to be a short visit but remained for almost a year.

“That was Bill,” he wrote. “Our home was filled with music, laughter, rehearsals and long conversations.”

McNeilly first met Trotman in the early 1970s at the home of drummer Mike Rosteing. By then, Trotman had already established himself in Trinidad and Tobago as a folkloric dancer, limbo champion, singer, master of ceremonies and comedian. He also recorded with musician Andre Tanker, producing memorable songs including Louie, Louie, Louie, Back to School, The Hungry Man from Clapham, and It Feels So Good When You’re Doing Something Good for Somebody—a title McNeilly said perfectly reflected his friend’s generous nature.

After moving to Montreal, Trotman worked closely with the Mighty Sparrow, entertaining audiences with a blend of calypso, comedy and storytelling before making Toronto his home. There, McNeilly said, he became a driving force in the city’s Caribbean cultural landscape, contributing to Caribana, Sparrow’s OYB productions, COTT initiatives, annual art exhibitions and the early Blocko festivals that helped lay the foundation for today’s Blackhurst celebrations.

The two collaborators also wrote music together, including the Christmas calypso Pi Tiki Ting Tong, celebrating the steelpan as Santa Claus’s gift, and Where Do We Go From Here.

Among McNeilly’s most vivid memories was Trotman’s unforgettable performance of Drunken Sailor at Dimanche Gras. Between verses, Trotman transformed himself into different characters—including a police officer, politician and thief—leaving audiences spellbound with his theatrical brilliance.

Beyond the stage, Trotman earned acclaim as a visual artist. McNeilly recalled that one of his portraits of Yasin Abu Bakr was so lifelike that many believed it was a photograph. His artistic and cultural contributions were recognized with Trinidad and Tobago’s Hummingbird Medal.

Perhaps the most touching memory came only days before Trotman’s passing. Recovering from surgery, Trotman’s first request was that his assistant telephone McNeilly.

“All I heard was him say, ‘Pat,'” McNeilly recalled. “As they wheeled him away, he called out, ‘Tell Mike Rosteing to call.’ That was Bill—loyal, thinking of friends right to the end.”

McNeilly said Trotman’s legacy lives on through his music, theatre, costume design, visual art and the countless lives he touched through friendship and mentorship.

“His voice will not fade,” McNeilly wrote. “His story will be told and retold wherever our culture is celebrated. Farewell, my dear friend. Thank you for the music, the laughter, the mentorship and the friendship. Rest in eternal peace, Bill Trotman. Ase!”

This version is written in a traditional newspaper style while preserving Pat McNeilly’s voice and the key memories he shared.

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