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Posted: Monday 19 May, 2014 at 3:06 PM

Remembering the Nevisian King Reaver

The late Roosevelt ‘King Reaver’ Prentiss
By: Entertainment Reporter, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOR this weekly column of ‘Where are they now?’, SKNVibes Entertainment is featuring a king, who once ruled the roost in the Calypso arena in St. Kitts and Nevis and has gone to the great beyond. He is being remembered by one of his daughters and two former calypsonians.

     

    Roosevelt ‘King Reaver’ Prentice was said to be a unique and extraordinary performer in the Calypso genre. He was also remembered for his style and onstage performances during the period in which he ruled.

    In remembering King Reaver, one of his six children told SKNVibes Entertainment that the first time she saw her multi-talented father perform was at age 10 while at a concert in Nevis. 

    “He was performing for Culturama, so me and my other sister travelled to Nevis for the Calypso Show Finals and that was the only time I ever saw him onstage.” 

    She added that, although at that age, she did not favour the musical genre but was elated to see her father onstage performing for the likes of others, which she noted was quite fascinating to witness.

    Death of the King

    The daughter of the profound former calypsonian explained that while leaving work as a security guard at the RLB International Airport on September 10, 2002, Prentice suffered a severe heart attack and was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

    “I could remember it was a Tuesday morning and I was at home. We got the call around minutes to seven that he had a massive heart attack and he died,” the daughter said. 

    She added that the gripping news came as a shock, due to the fact that her father never had any previous issues with his heart that was known by family members. 

    The calypsonian’s daughter noted that her father was formerly a police officer who, for a number of years, gave yeoman service to the Traffic Department of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force before venturing into his own business as a bus driver.

    After a few years as a driver, Reaver then sought employment at the airport until his death. The Calypso king was described as an easy going and people-friendly person who was well known in both St. Kitts and his hometown of Gingerland, Nevis. 

    “His death happened so unexpectedly that it hurt at that time. I was around 21. But as the years went by I coped with it and I do remember him from time to time,” Reaver’s daughter said.
    The daughter added that what she remembers most about her father is the relationship he shared with his children, especially she and her sister. “He use to come and see us here in Sandy Point and he loved his children.”

    Former competitor, calypsonian and musician Creighton Pencheon, also known as the Mighty Crusader, remembered King Reaver as a good friend of his and an enthralling performer. 

    “He was a great friend of mine. As a matter of fact, I helped him with his first album in terms of music and getting it out there. He was also one of the first persons that recorded with a band from Trinidad,” Pencheon said.

    Pencheon stated that Reaver was always passionate about Calypso music, adding that he was known for his Soca fusion of his Calypso singles. “He was always lively onstage. He didn’t have a great voice, but the energy, excitement and enthusiasm that he brought to the stage were some of the things to always admire.”  

    Another local calypsonian, Mallet Edwards, popularly known as ‘Mallet’ and ‘Hammer’, also remembered Reaver as a Kaiso master well-known for his diverse types of Calypsos that were loved by many.

    “He was a calypsonian who performed both the social commentary/slow calypso or the up tempo kinds of songs. If I remember clearly, he was also a Road March contender too at one time,” Mallet said.

    He added that Reaver was also known for his unique high-pitched voice which captivated most of his audience during his reign. 

    Roosevelt Prentice passed away at age 49 and would have celebrated his 61st birth anniversary this year. He was born on January 2, 1953.

    Editor-in-Chief's Note: SKNVibes solicits suggestions from the public in identifying other individuals who have made significant contributions to the Calypso art form in St. Kitts and Nevis. Feel free to email us at newsroom@sknvibes.com or call us at (869) 466-9242 or (869) 662-3901 and pass on the relevant information. 
     
     
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