Brief BIO of Lenox ‘Sam’ Fortune - RIP 26th November 2015
PREAMBLE:
Widely know in the South as a pan maker/tuner, pan teacher, driller and arranger; ex Captain of Hatters; 'Sam' a diabetic, is recognised for his insistence to carry on regardless. Often seen hobbling about with his walking-stick 'Sam' persists, despite predictions by his doctors that he would never walk again following a misguided 'playful' accident in mid 1973, when he was dropped oh his head and nearly broke his neck. After half a year on his back in hospital, 'Sam' decided that he had had enough of 'that', and intended to get out of 'there', and move on; which he did after another 2 months, though with limited mobility of his legs. A recent accident in early 2015, had him bedridden again, much to his annoyance, when he fell and broke his hip. Fortune showed good signs of recovery, gaining mobility with a wheel-chair. All was going well until a surprising debilitating relapse set-in over late October. Fortune passed away after a brave-faced but fading 3 week struggle, with complications, at the San Fernando Teaching hospital overnight Thursday, 26th November 2015.
Fortune & student panmaker chat at Pan Elders Pan Theatre, Carib Streer, San Fernando
Trinidad, TT - 27 June 2011
MAIN:
B: 20th August 1951 - RIP: 26th November 2015
Lennox 'Sam' Fortune began his sojourn with the San Fernando Borough Council as an occasional labourer in 1971; became a Watchman for them at Skinner Park in 1974, till his retirement in 2013. He worked an ad hoc apprenticeship in pan making under Bertrand Kelman between 1971 and 1973; a skill he would continue to pursue throughout his active career with the steelbands.
San City Steel Symphony Panyard, Carib Street, San Fernando, Trinidad - 28th November 2015
He co-arranged Panorama, together with Ken 'Professor' Philmore, for Hatters in 1980; where he continued as principle arranger and driller from 1981 to 1983. He became a co-founder of Lee Chong Pan Glow Steel Orchestra in 1984. Between 1986 an 1988, under the name of the Southern Pan Academy, he would teach pan technique to the youth, at his home at Forest Avenue, Cocoyea, San Fernando.
‘Sam’ at a Hatters SMLW practice on 27th August 2009
On the elevation of San Fernando from a Town to a City; the San Fernando Borough Council invited 'Sam' to establish a steelband to mark the occasion. Still operating out of the 'Borough Yard', Carib Street, today, San City Steel Symphony performed its first City Day on 18th November 1988. Between that time and 2005, 'Sam' would act as stage side arranger and principle pan tutor to a whole new generation of youth with San City Steel Symphony.
‘Sam’ listens to a played passage at Hatters SMLW on 27 August 2009
Between 2005 and 2009 'Sam' rejoined Hatters as Captain. He discovered The Gabrielites Steelband, comprising at the time under-14 students principally from St Gabriels Girls School, in temporary residence at the panyard, while their school was working to accommodate a steelband. 'Sam' arranged their 'Blue' Festival piece for Point Fortin Borough Day 2005, which was won by the steelband. In mid 2006 'Sam' initiated the Hatters first Steelpan & Music Literacy Workshop (SMLW) that graduated some 30 youth, with pan technique and some music literacy, following a 4 week programme. Hatters would continue the tradition completing its 6th SMLW in 2014. 'Sam' composed and arranged Pan Romance for Hatters Panorama 2009.
‘Sam’ teaching a student playing a D-Seconds at Hatters Panyard
SMLW 10th August 2010
Continuing in the pan making arena; 'Sam' Fortune acted as principal tutor for Pan Trinbago's Pan Making & Pan Tuning course held at the Pan Theatres of Hatters in 2005, and at Kalamo Kings in 2007. He would act as the Internal Verifier for Pan Making techniques on a Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP) held at the Pan Theatres of Pan Elders in San Fernando in 2011 and at Arima Angel Harps, Arima in 2012.
‘Sam’ at Junil Pennies birthday party Hatters Pan Theatre - 1st February 2010
During all this time, 'Sam' would continually return to San City SS to assist with their summer Pan Camps and to drill their band for Panorama, up to the time of his accidental fall in early 2015.
tobagojo - 20151129
Replies
Hatters Steel Orchestra & San City Steel Symphony, on behalf of the family and friends of the late Lennox ‘Sam’ Fortune, RIP 26th November 2015, note your concerned views and condolences posted on this WST Forum, with thanks for your sympathy. Your concerns will be duly conveyed to the bereaved parties at the funeral services indicated below.
Find on the When Steel Talks Forum:
Funeral arrangements for the late Lennox ‘Sam’ Fortune RIP 26th November 2015;Hatters S...
tobagojo - Hatters PRO - 20151130
We always express surprise and shock, whenever one has reached the end of time on this plane. But, life goes on in another place. Is only here we reel real pain, and over there never again. So, your friends would say, enjoy your new found peace my brother, with no more pain. Ase!
Condolences to Sam & his family..He was a good solider..God Bless.
My condolences.
Condolences to the family, friends and band of a genuine soldier in the great Pan Army ..RIP "Sam"
Condolences to 'Sam' family and friends.