Emile straker biography

  • Barbadians, through an inspiring book about veteran musician Sir Emile Straker, have been given an insider's look at his life and stardom.
  • Barbadian calypso artist born in 1936, became famous as a founder and lead vocalist for The Merrymen.
  • What an amazing autobiography by our amazing treasure of Barbados – Sir Emile Straker – musician, songwriter and lead singer of the world-famous.

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    Book Review: My Island and Me

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    By Sir Henry Fraser

    What an fantastisk autobiography by our amazing treasure of Barbados – Sir Emile Straker – musician, songwriter and lead singer of the world-famous The Merrymen. That’s the only way to describe this iconic, multi-talented living treasure who has charmed us all – Barbados, the Caribbean and the world  –   with his magical voice and songs for some 60-plus years. And he’s added to his many talents the telling of the enthralling story of his life with music and the wonderful Bajan musical ambassadors, The Merrymen, with his inimitable humour, in a book that you simply can’t put down.

    We, his friends, have been waiting for this book for some time. When The Merrymen held their last concert and hung up their guitars, Emile promised he’d have time to work on his autobiography – but there was so much – the man has lived many lives! And when the double whammy of COVID-19 and Emile’s beloved wife Joyce’s illness reared their head,

  • emile straker biography

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    • country:Barbados
    • style(s):Calypso
    • label:Merrymen Barbados
    • gender:male
    • instrumentation:vocal
    • artist contact:CRS Music & Media

    Line up

    • The Merrymen (guitars)


    In the early 1960s, Barbados was a quiet beauty whose fame had somewhat faded. Still a colony of England, it was no longer the most prosperous one. Tourism was still in its early stages. Except to its neighbours, some elite travellers, and of course its residents, the tiny Caribbean island was a mere speck on the map—but oh, what a lovely one! And life had the sweetness of a simpler time.

    Out of this emerged the Merrymen, a group of fun-loving guys who created a unique and instantly recognizable sound. How did they rise from obscurity to top the charts at home and abroad? You could say they were fuelled bygd dreams, and by love—for life, music, performing, and good times. Their joy was contagious, and as their music caught on, it carried the light heart of island life far and wide.

    This is their st

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    The Merrymen

    For the sidekicks of Robin Hood, see Merry Men.

    The Merrymen, sometimes written as The MerryMen, are a popular calypso band from Barbados.

    The Merrymen's career spans five decades, from the early-1960s to the 2000s. As of 2011. the Merrymen were still performing. At their height they were popular not just throughout the Caribbean, but they had also managed to reach the number one spot on the charts of several European countries.[1]

    Their trademark sound is an upbeat form of calypso, reminiscent of what was popular in the Caribbean in the late-1960s and early-1970s, that samples liberally from Latin, funk, tuk and spouge musical styles. Lead singer Emile Straker's whistling is one of the most distinctive components of their sound, and often serves as the primary focus of the musical interludes in their songs. They have produced several memorable covers in this style, including versions of "Island in the Sun" (originally by Harry Belafonte), "Jamaica Fa