Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 08/Sep 03:42

Texas celebrates SuperBlue Day

Soca icon Austin “SuperBlue” Lyons has given Trinidad and Tobago many things: jump and wave, Fantastic Friday and a discography that will live on for many successive generations. Now, there’s another to add to that list: SuperBlue Day. That day was proclaimed by Houston, Texas’ mayor John Whitmire. The city working collaboratively with the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Texas declared August 30 SuperBlue Day. The artiste, whose career spans more than 30 years, showed Newsday the proclamation, signed by Whitmire, in an interview on September 3. The proclamation read: “Whereas on August 30, 2025, in celebration of Trinidad and Tobago’s 63 Independence, the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Texas based in Houston will host its Celebration of a Nation 2025 Scholarship Banquet with a live performance by soca music legend, SuperBlue and, [caption id="attachment_1176729" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Austin "SuperBlue" Lyons shows honorary award from recently concluded Caribbean Music Awards.[/caption] “Whereas the City of Houston is proud to recognise individuals whose contributions have enriched cultural heritage and inspired communities across the globe. Austin Lyons, a Trinidadian calypsonian, soca musician and lyricist, and known professionally as Superblue or SuperBlue, or Blueboy, is one of the most influential figures in the history of soca music…” It went on to say that his legacy continued through his children Terri Lyons and Fay-Ann Lyons Alvarez and that the city was proud to join with the TT Texas Association to celebrate SuperBlue’s contributions to Caribbean music and culture. For SuperBlue, the honour was not for himself but for all of TT, from which he has gained so much, he said. He thanked everyone for their support and also thanked the media, saying had it not been for traditional media, his work and the work of many other artistes would not have been known by the wider world. He was speechless at having received the day but he repeated that it was all for the benefit of the red, white and black (the colours of TT’s flag). He was also the beneficiary of an honorary award at the recently concluded Caribbean Music Awards on August 28. He described the region having its own ceremony as "mightful" given that for many years there were discussions about soca and calypso winning a Grammy. This showcased the excellence of the region’s people, he added. He was thankful for being acknowledged. [caption id="attachment_1176732" align="alignnone" width="684"] The proclamation declaring SuperBlue Day as August 30 in Texas.[/caption] “I am thankful for TT for giving me the powers to represent. I am not perfect but I have perfect moments, culturally, musically,” he said. How SuperBlue Day would be marked going forward was still being worked out, he said. But he hoped whatever is done, would be beneficial to TT in the long term not only monetarily but in terms of inspiring greater cultural love and appreciation. “We have a brilliant artform,” he said. He also hoped more credit would be given to Carnival's start: Canboulay. This year, he and Smiddy Smith did a song called Canboulay Dancers in honour of the historical happening. “Remember, back through the corridors of time, as party done, Ash Wednesday come, there was no mas, no pan, no singing, whistling kaiso but other people’s music was playing.” He praised the work of artistes and musical icons like Sparrow, the late Kitchener, Lady Trinidad and Calypso Rose whose hard work ensured calypso and soca became more mainstream. “All the rapso, chutney, soca artistes and calypsonians played a part to make this one of the greatest on earth.” He added that Carnival was a noun, a verb and an adjective and the plural of Carnival was “We.” “What them dictionaries saying is, ‘We, the people of Trinidad and Tobago, gave Carnival a more colourful and beautiful meaning.’” He thanked TT for giving the opportunity to represent the country but added, there was still a lot of work to do.   The post Texas celebrates SuperBlue Day appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.