BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A man who would forever be remembered for his musical genius in the calypso and soca arena passed away sometime yesterday morning at his home in Lime Kiln, Montserrat.
Alphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell M.B.E. more popularly known to his fans as Arrow has died after being sick for some time and had reportedly been airlifted one week ago to Antigua where he underwent treatment at a medical centre.
The calypso legend, according to reports, was treated for pneumonia caused by complications from cerebral cancer and sometime last year was diagnosed with a brain tumour for which he was treated in the US.
Arrow first performed at age 10 in a concert at the Montserrat Secondary School. He began singing calypso in 1967 and won the Junior Monarch title that year. He took up singing professionally in 1969, and in that year was adjudged runner up in the Montserrat Calypso King competition, he then went on to win the title the following year, and subsequently taking the crown a total of four times.
He released his first single, ‘Dance with Me Woman’ in 1972, and established his own Arrow label in 1973. 1974 the debut album The Mighty Arrow on Target was released, followed in 1975 with Arrow Strikes Again.
In 1982 he released ‘Hot Hot Hot’ which became his first pan-Caribbean hit and the biggest selling soca hit of all time. It was adopted as the theme song of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
‘Hot Hot Hot’ was remixed several times by a number of arties giving the song several versions to date.
The 60-year-old is also known for other hits like ‘Long Time’ and ‘Rub Up’.
In 1988, he was awarded the Living Legends award by the organizers of the Caribbean Song Festival and the Bahamas Tourist Board.
He has had twenty-two albums the last being ‘No Rules which was released in 2002.
