What we know
What we know: Calypso icon Slinger Francisco, dubbed 'The Mighty Sparrow,' dies at 91, his family says
Compiled Sep 27
What we know
- Slinger Francisco, known as the Mighty Sparrow, died Sunday at age 91.
- He died peacefully surrounded by family in New York after a brief illness.
- He got his breakthrough in calypso music with the 1956 hit song 'Jean and Dinah.'
- He was born in Grand Roy, Grenada, in July 1935 and migrated to Trinidad and Tobago in 1937 as a toddler.
- He recorded hundreds of songs over a six-decade career and performed at venues including Madison Square Garden.
- Trinidad and Tobago honored him with national awards, and in 1987 the University of the West Indies gave him an honorary Doctor of Letters.
What we don’t know yet
- The statement did not disclose other details about the brief illness that preceded his death.
Open questions
- What specific illness led to his death?
- What were the full list of his major hit songs beyond those mentioned?
- What countries did he perform in during his career?
- Will there be a public memorial or funeral service?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.