Yorshire Evening Post
FRIENDS and colleagues have paid tribute to StClair Morris, who became the first teacher in Leeds to offer instruction in Caribbean-style music played on the steel pan.
Mr Morris, who died last week, had come to Yorkshire from St Kitts at 16, and was also a lay preacher and a roadie for other bands.
Deciding eventually to form his own outfit, he put together the Paradise Steel Band nearly 60 years ago. It was still playing on the week of his death.
He became the first steel pan teacher in Leeds and probably England when schools were allocated money to help combat racism and promote arts from other cultures, at which point the Leeds Music Support Service bought a set of steel pans.
Replies
Condolences to Mr Morris family.