Mr.
Elwyn McQuilkin, known as the Wizard, was born in La Digue,
a small village in the Eastern parish of Grenada; the same village
where the mother of Malcolm X was born.
Elwyn
attended the Holy Innocents Anglican Primary School and the
St. Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School (SAASS).
It
was while attending SAASS during his graduating year in 1971,
that he won his first calypso title. But it was during his membership
of Shadows Youth Club he started to sing calypsos seriously
He
first made it to the "big Yard" in 1976 with the selections
"Mr. West Indian" and "Ole Time carnival".
He was second runner up to Flying Turkey. He went off the scene
for three years, due to studies he undertook in Guyana.
In
1980, he returned with "Struggle" and "Tomorrow’s
people", placing second to Survivor. Although he did not
win the top prize, he was recognized that night. Williams Munro,
a Trinidadian businessman, contacted Wizard to do an album and
to sing in his kingdom of the Wizards calypso tent. With his album
"Making Music" he took Trinidad by storm. Grenadians
in Trinidad were proud of a son of the Spice Island Black Wizard.
He
returned to Grenada’s calypso scene in 1985 and has been
in every final since. This is what is called consistency. Year
after year, the black Wizard comes stronger and stronger, setting
the pace for other Grenadian Calypsonians with songs like "African
Blood ", "Oh Grenada", "Uncle Sam", "Changes",
"The House", "Pan Man", "Soca Feeling",
"IMF", "500 Years", to name a few. Black Wizard
showed his versatility by singing "500 Years" in both
Spanish and English, the first for any English speaking Caribbean.
Black
Wizard established a new record at 1994 Grenada carnival. He won
three Calypso titles in one carnival season. He made a successful
sweep in all competitions he contested, starting with the Soca
Monarch. He went on to win the Rainbow City Monarch and the prized
National Calypso Monarch.
1994,
dubbed Wizard’s year, was surely a high point of his career
that started 20 years ago. The "Living Legend", as his
fans now call him, said he would like the youth of Grenada to
use hie victory as an example to follow.
He
stared "the youth are frustrated, disappointed and might
be thinking of giving up due to lack of direction. But if they
follow my career, they would see, despite all the adversities
over the years I never gave up. I believe life is a struggle,
in the end right will prevail."
The
Grenadian Calypso King has performed in New York, Miami, Montreal,
Toronto, England and the Caribbean.
Major
accomplishments :
Awards
1984:
Sons & Daughters of Grenada
1985: SAASS Alumni- New York
1986: Maurice Bishop Foundation
1991: Everybody Magazine 10-year award
!992: Best Social Commentary Calypso Award
Nominations
1990:
Sunshine Calypso Award
1991: Caribbean Music Award
Monarchs
1988:
Grenada Road March King
1994 Rainbow City King
1994: Grenada Calypso Monarch
1995: Grenada Independence Calypso Monarch
1997: St. Andrew’s Calypso Monarch
Bio
Incomplete
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