Denyse Plummer

Denyse Plummer
Born	Denyse Burnadette Kirline Plummer 1954
Nationality	Trinidad and Tobago
Style	Afro-Caribbean and Calypso

Denyse Plummer is a Calypso and Gospel singer from Trinidad and Tobago. She is the first female singer in the Caribbean to be born to a white father and a black mother. She initially faced significant prejudice in a genre traditionally seen as Afro-Caribbean, but was eventually recognized as a leading calypso performer.

Before entering the genre of calypso, Plummer was as a pop singer at intimate bars and hotels throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

Plummer made her debut in 1986 at Skinner Park, where she found herself at the end of an unappreciative audience who were not cheering her on. Plummer was enlisted by Phase II Pan Groove steelband arranger Len "Boogsie" Sharpe in 1986 to sing his band's Panorama entry. It was then that Plummer started making a name for herself as a calypsonian. In 1988, with yet another Len "Boogsie" Sharpe pan tune, "Woman Is Boss" she arrived at the National Calypso Monarch finals and also won the Calypso Queen crown. Since then, she has taken the Calypso Queen crown a total of six times and has won 2nd place Crown three times.

Plummer is the fifth female calypsonian to win the Young Kings and National Calypso Queens competition and made it to the Calypso Monarch finals in 1983, 1988, 1992, 1994, and 2001, winning the title in 2001.

In 2002 and 2003 released "Fire" and "Tempo" respectively. In 2001, the Calypso Monarch title was won with the songs "Heroes" and "Nah leaving". Plummer left the genre of calypso and moved on to the genre of gospel.

Discography

• 1986 Pan Rising/One Love
• 1987 Pan Progress/This Feeling Nice
• 1988 The Boss
• 1989 Still The Boss
• 1992 Carnival Killer
• 2000 W.I.Posse 2000
• 2001 Whole Trinidanian
• 2001 Nah Leaving
• 2001 Heroes
• 2002 No Winners

References

• Terry Joseph at I Level: Redemption song
• Calypso Archives

See also

• List of calypsos with sociopolitical influences