Famous Singer from Guyana – Dave Martins

News Americas, GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Mon., August 19, 2024: Guyana-born singer Dave Martins, bandleader of the Tradewinds and the patriotic ode “Not A Blade of Grass,” died in Guyana on Sunday, August 18, according to reports from Guyana. He was 90 years old.

Martin's wife Annette Arjoon-Martins wrote on Facebook: “I am eternally grateful to have shared fifteen years of unconditional love, support and, above all, a shared passion for all things Guyanese with my soul mate.” The cause of death was not initially known.

Both President Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton paid tribute to Dave, a former resident of Canada and the Cayman Islands.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a true Caribbean icon: Dave Martins, whose music was the heartbeat of our region. As leader of the band Tradewinds, Dave captured the essence of the Caribbean spirit and identity, blending joyful rhythms with biting satire that touched our hearts and minds. His music not only invited us to laugh at ourselves, but also encouraged us to stand tall and be proud of our Guyanese and Caribbean heritage,” said Ali. “'Not a Blade of Grass,' his timeless anthem, is a powerful statement of our nation's collective resistance to threats to our sovereignty and territorial integrity. In our moments of challenge, it was Dave's music that lifted our spirits and reminded us of the strength and resilience we possess as a people and our duty to never surrender an inch of our territory. Dave Martins was more than just a musician; he was a true Caribbean person whose influence transcended borders and touched the lives of countless people throughout the region. His loss is deeply felt, not only in Guyana, but throughout the Caribbean and our diaspora. Whenever his music is played, no matter where you are, it evokes a deep sense of pride in being a Caribbean person. The rhythms and melodies carry the essence of our shared heritage and remind us of who we are and where we come from. Dave Martins' music connects us to our roots and fills us with a deep love for our Caribbean identity. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife Annette and to his family, friends and large fan base.”

Opposition leader Aubrey Norton told Demerara Waves Online News: “It's a great loss for Guyana. He is one of our cultural icons and one of the men who put a lot of Guyanese culture into music and wherever you were in the world you could identify with it and be proud of it. I just hope we have more of him. The passing of Dave Martins is a great loss for Guyana.”

Martins was born and raised in the village of Hague in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) to Joseph and Zepherina Martins. However, at the tender age of 10, his parents moved to Vreed-en-Hoop where he completed his primary school education and then attended St. Stanislaus College in Georgetown. And it was here that the young Martins developed an interest in literature, music and a love for different languages.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle last year, he fondly recalled that his mother was the one who loved to play and sing songs while his father was involved in extensive farming along the Pomeroon River in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Dave enjoyed travelling with his father between Pomeroon and Vreed-en-Hoop, which gave him the opportunity to talk to many people he met along the way. The conversations revolved around their 'real' stories, which he found fascinating, and Dave believes it was through these conversations that his compositional/musical side was awakened.

Dave also paid tribute to Trinidadian calypso, whose music at the time offered “drama, suspense, comedy, bravery and power. I knew the old Trinidadian calypso music from recordings and knew I wanted to make that kind of music, but with my own twist.”

He moved with his family to Toronto, Canada, and it was there that he was confronted with the “business side” of his musical life. According to him, one day he came across an advertisement in the newspaper for a new Caribbean band. He applied, was accepted, and played with four other musicians. The band (the Debonairs) was hired to play six nights a week, and they did exceptionally well.

The band moved away from traditional Latin music and played a mix with calypso elements. For several years the band played in this style, but Martins' life was affected by the demanding schedule and in 1963 he quit his weekday job and only performed on weekends, but the music continued to call him and in 1966 he formed an entirely new Caribbean band called “The Trade Winds”.

“We were a natural group that loved the music, the stories and the people, and we just grew,” he told the Chronicle. “When we started recording, there were no radio stations in Canada playing Caribbean music like they do today, so we were the pioneers back then. The market was there then, and if you put a band together with good music, you would get work, which was what we did. I don't know why I felt I had to write the kind of music I wrote, but I knew I had to stay true to myself and my roots, which are in Guyana.”

The band's other songs include “Honeymooning Couple”, “Cricket in the Jungle”, “Civilisation”, “It's Traditional”, “Copycats”, “Sweet Talk”, “Wong Ping”, “I Want to Be A Puppy” , “You Can't Get”, “Boyhood Day”, “Where Are Your Heroes”, “Play De Ting”, “Mr. Rooster” and “West Indian Alphabet”.

“I wrote the song about the couple on their honeymoon based on a joke I heard, which became a big hit. And of course the famous 'Not a blade of grass' came out of the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. I also wanted people to identify with what I was singing and to take a message from the songs, so I wrote and sang about what was happening.”

Martins celebrated his 90th birthday in April this year. In 2022, the University of Guyana awarded him an honorary doctorate in literature.