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From the panyard to recording studio, the T&T-born producer and engineer has shaped the most popular songs
Franklyn GrantTrinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Franklyn Grant recalls the first time he met Mariah Carey.
Prior to meeting her, the musician, producer and audio engineer, had expressed doubt about the authenticity of her famous whistle notes.
....Grant hails from the eastern town of Tacarigua and started his musical journey at the age of nine playing the steelpan.
“I couldn’t wait for school to be over to head to the panyard. Music and art were the two main things I cared about and football,” he recalls.
....“When I landed in America I wanted to go home. I was in Connecticut and after the first couple of weeks I said I going home, it had no steelband. The woman my mother worked with asked me what was the problem, I said I am a music guy and she asked if I could get steel drums would I stay? She said she would buy the drums for me,” Grant recalls.
He went to the Manhattan workshop of legendary pan pioneer Ellie Mannette who made pans for him to form his own steelband. The band was called Trinidad Panasonic and played for events all over Connecticut.
Replies
Thank you for this history of movements. With all that he has achieved it sure would be nice to have our people talk more about his accomplishments. Many times I have heard music with beats that came straight out of TT... and wondered who was behind it.
I look forward to his name being highlighted more often.
Brenda ECH
EXCELLENT