Carriacou Steel Band – The Texaco Dixie Stars.

Carriacou Steel Band – The ‘Texaco Dixie Stars’.
As well as having a wonderful tradition in ‘Big Drum’ and Quadrille, Carriacou also had a brilliant Steel Band. The band was called the ‘Texaco Dixie Stars’ and was sponsored by Texaco Oil Co. in Trinidad. The band was made up of members of ‘The Sunblisters’ plus others from town and Bishop’s College. The main conductor and arranger, I seem to remember, was Rodge Gay.
The Steel Band sported a bright red uniform jacket with dark trousers. They performed in a variety of events and inter island competitions. They did not just play calypso. On one occasion I gate-crashed one of their rehearsals and was somewhat amazed to hear they were practising a piece composed by Chopin.
The photos attached to this file relate to one of the presentation days held in Carriacou. Unfortunately, I cannot remember which day it was. I think it was early 1968. They were celebrating their victories in competitions in Grenada in 1967.
The band members in the photographs include Martin Linneus Joseph AKA Moso who won 1st prize in the solo competition in Grenada playing the old Italian classic ‘Santa Lucia’. Band members included Moso, Eneal Allert, Ifil Andrew AKA Falk, Leo Joseph, Dennis ‘Poco’ Joseph and Tyril Frank the band leader. I’m grateful to Leo Joseph who provided me with the name of the band and the band members.
If any of you have any stories, memories or anecdotes relating to the Texaco Dixie Stars please send them in so I can publish them with this post.
Thank you.