Pic of my young photographer friend Gregg Richards & the extraodinary Mr. Irving Burgie songwriter and composer.

In the earlier years, Caribbean immigrants faced many obstacles preserving their cultural identity and as result there was quick assimilation into the American way of life. Deep imprints however, were left behind. Caribbean-American Culture, as we know it today, emerged in response to adoption of changed circumstances and the need to preserve an already established identity.

If you have never heard of this man, you definitely know at least one song he’s authored and you are missing out on knowledge of a man with astounding talents. Irving Burgie has led with culture, building the extraordinary at a time when the Caribbean region was scarcely known to Americans. His songs are playful, catchy, internationally recognized and critical to social consciousness.

At a ripe age of eighty-four years, Mr. Burgie “Lord Burgess” is truly a father of Caribbean folk music. His vast collection of songs is unparallel, his unflappable spirit, courage and embrace of Caribbean heritage echoes in his reportage. Burgie’s story as well as contributions is party to an odyssey, one that is culturally rich and overflowing with natural rhythms drawn on ancestral connections. Our off-springs will continue for generations to be proud of his accomplishments

He was born in 1924, Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, New York to Louis Burgie and Viola Burgie nee Callender. In 1956 he married his late wife, Page Burgie, parenting two sons, Irving Jr. and Andrew. After high school Burgie enrolled in a trade school and apprenticed for a stint then eventually joined the US Army. While on his tour of duty during World II, 1943, he had the fortune of meeting an alto saxophonist in his troop and became interested in music. After his discharge from the military, Burgie studied at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, New York then went out into the world, educated himself some more in addition to pursuing his interest in songwriting, composing and singing.

Over the past half century, Mr. Burgie has authored a ‘treasury’ of timeless Caribbean songs for stage, screen and popular recording. Under the name Lord Burgess he penned, Jamaica Farewell the first song by Burgie and several other songs for the album “Calypso”. It was the first album ever to sell 1 million copies.

“Day O” the signature piece of his magnificent repertoire, was popularized in the mid 1950’s by renowned crooner Harry Belafonte. The iconic ballad was reintroduced to generations in 1978 on the “Muppet Show” television series, and in the soundtrack blockbuster movie “Beetle Juice” in 1988. More recently, the recording has garnered notoriety ‘out of this world’ when in 1997 it was used to wake astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis while it orbited the globe.

Throughout his illustrious career Mr. Burgie has also penned the National Anthem (1966) of his mother’s home, Barbados; the popular ballads Jamaica Farewell, Island in the Sun; Angelina, co-authored the Christmas carol Mary’s Boy Child in addition to the music and lyrics for the 1963 Broadway musical Ballads for Bimshire that starred the late Ossie Davis. In addition to Harry Belafonte, Mr. Burgie’s work has been recorded by international award winning artists as the Kingston Trio, Miriam Makeba, Jimmy Buffet, Nina Simone and Patti Page.

His autobiography Day O!!!, released in 2007, has garnered critical acclaim and heartfelt testimonials from such cultural luminaries as screen legends Sidney Poitier and Whoopi Goldberg, literary ingénue Maya Angelou, and cultural academic Rex Nettleford.

An inductee in the National Songwriters Hall of Fame, Irving Burgie has made an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of the world. With lyrics that transcend barriers and musical idioms that beckon listeners of diverse backgrounds, this unarguably lyrical ambassador, introduced international audiences to savior and appreciate the richness that is the Caribbean.