Toronto.com
Earl La Pierre leads Afropan band in Toronto Caribbean carnival’s premiere pan event
One of the founding members of Toronto’s Caribbean carnival, Earl La Pierre, shows his steel drum after a meeting at Spade Bar and Lounge in ScarboroughToronto, Canada - Drawn to steel pan before that was respectable or even safe, Earl La Pierre Sr. used the instrument to teach thousands of North York kids and establish Toronto’s longest-lasting and most successful steel band.
In Trinidad, he said, he grew up hearing pan morning, noon and night.
La Pierre was willing to take licks from a disapproving parent to learn it. “When I got home, I normally got beaten,” the Afropan leader recalled this month.
“It was supposed to be a bad thing.”
Replies
Glad 2 c Earl keeping d pan flag flying.First place I met Earl was in sunday school at Church Of God in Carlos St W'brk. Next I know I walk in Invaders yd & he playing pan. Great times in d panyd. Playing Souvenirs,Beautiful Dreamer,Let's Face D Music & Dance,arranged by Trevor " Brutus" Charles, b4 Earl took over as arranger doing Merry Widow Waltz,Spoonful Of Sugar,Grieg's Concerto In C, in 1966 we placed 2nd behind Despers in d bomb competition playing Earl's rendition of Handel's Water Music. Those dys d classical Bomb competition ruled d streets. I think 66 was d 1st time it became an official event. it was going on 4 yrs as personal rivalry between a few bands. YAHWEH bless u abundantly Earl.
Earl, Shane I see Carl Smith tuning pans in Boston that is good to hear.
Boss I hear that Big Jim was in Hospital,when was the last time your saw him.Talk to you soon Shane.