The 22nd Annual Sunshine Awards Nominees for 2010

The SUNSHINE Awards
P. O. Box 3717, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666 USA * 201-836-0799 * Fax 201-836-4440

News Release

Contacts:
Public Relations Department
Phone: 201-836-0799
Fax: 201-836-4440


For Immediate Release


New Jersey, USA, September 20, 2010 -------- The SUNSHINE Awards organization announced the nominees for the 22nd Annual SUNSHINE Awards which will take place on Saturday, October 23 at the AXA Equitable Center, 787 Seventh Avenue in New York City.

Announcing the candidates in the various categories for the 2010 SUNSHINE Awards and the nominees for induction into the 2010 SUNSHINE Awards Hall of Fame, the co-founder of the SUNSHINE Awards Hall of Fame and Chairman of the Nomination Committee, Dr Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool said, “It is always an uplifting and proud moment for me to release the names of those unsung heroes for recognition by the SUNSHINE Awards organization. I am proud and excited to continue what we have done annually since 1989. Over the years, I have seen many award institutions and organizations pay tribute to individuals and organizations who have contributed to the calypso, steelband and the carnival arts but the SUNSHINE Awards organization has maintained its tradition of giving recognizing and paying tribute not to the well-known artists but to those equally deserving but seldom haled.” Today, the SUNSHINE Awards organization like a rock in the Caribbean Sea is pleased to release the nominees for the 22nd Annual SUNSHINE Awards”. They are:

Famoro Dioubate, Xylophonist (Guinea, West Africa) On the African music scene, Dioubate is regarded as the guardian of traditions dating back to the 13th century in the ancient Mande Empire.

Dancin Africa (Barbados) was founded twenty-years ago as a community-based non-profit organization to cultivate the skills, talents and potential of individuals ranging in age from nine to thirty-eight years old.

Yves Joseph of Tabou Combo (Haiti) is one of the original members of the Tabou Combo Band. Tabou Combo is one of Haiti’s most famous groups that has made the world aware of 'Kompa' – the popular Haitian dance rhythm sung in French, English, Spanish and Creole.

Dorbrene O’Marde (Antigua) is best known as a playwright, Director, producer, songwriter and lobbyist for the Performing Arts for over twenty-five years.

Sonny Blacks (England) One of the earliest friends of calypsonians in Trinidad and Tobago; a personal friend of the Mighty Spoiler, Blacks produced calypso and dance shows involving the outstanding artists of the era throughout 1940's before going on to England in the 1950's.

Drupatee Persad (Trinidad & Tobago) Drupatee is known as the Chutney Queen of the Caribbean. She started singing at the tender age of 12 alongside her mother in the Hindu temples of Trinidad.

Ramiro Crawford (Costa Rica) Ramiro Crawford is best known in Costa Rica and Central America for using the Performing Arts to bridge the gap between the region and the wider Caribbean, and promoting the African presence in South America.

The Following are the nominees who will be inducted into the 2010 SUNSHINE Awards Hall of Fame:

Dave Martins and the Tradewinds (Guyana). The Tradewinds Band led by the versatile, Dave Martins was formed in 1966. The band became one of the most revered groups in the Caribbean. The Tradewinds first hit, “Honeymooning Couple”, was penned by Dave Martins in 1966, six months after the band was formed. Following on that success, Martins' song-writing ability kept the band at the forefront of Caribbean popular music for decades with such other classics like, “West Indian Alphabet”, “Wong Ping”, “Where Are Your Heroes”, “Old Time Calypso” and “In Guyana”, and “Not a Blade of Grass”. Martins has also written over 110 songs.

Bill Trotman (Trinidad & Tobago) Calypsonian, singer, comedian, dancer, painter, visual artist, writer, poet and are all apt descriptions that describe this talented artist from Trinidad and Tobago.

Norman Darway Adams (Trinidad & Tobago) his whole life has been in the steelband as player, agent, storyteller, researcher, writer, radio and television host, and above all, lecturer/historian.

Alfred “Sacks” Mayers (Trinidad & Tobago) who is often described as one of the steelband pioneers of the 1940's.

The SUNSHINE Awards was founded in 1989. It was designed to recognize, honor and pay tribute to the creators, performers and promoters of Caribbean music, art, poetry, dance and culture. Special features of the program are the SUNSHINE Awards Hall of Fame and the SUNSHINE Awards Student Recognition Program which was started in 1998. Learn more about the awards at http://www.sunshineawards.com/