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Raymond Quevedo (24 March 1892 – 22 February 1962), better known as Atilla the Hun, was a
calypsonian A calypsonian,Definition of CALYPSO
Trinidad. He began singing in 1911 and was at his most prominent in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of the pioneers in spreading awareness of calypso beyond its birthplace in Trinidad and Tobago. Together with the
Roaring Lion Roaring Lion (22 February 190811 July 1999) was a Trinidadian calypsonian (calypso singer/composer). His 65-year career began in the early 1930s and he is best known for his compositions "Ugly Woman" (1933), " Mary Ann" and "Netty, Netty", whi ...
( Rafael de Leon) he brought calypso to the United States for the first time in 1934. One of his popular calypsos was " FDR in Trinidad", commemorating U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1936 trip to Trinidad. Atilla competed in the first Calypso King contest in 1939, and won the title in both 1946 and 1947.Thompson, p. 5, 59 Known as a defender of the poor, Atilla was able to transition to a political career. When several of his records were
censored Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
he composed "The Banning of Records", which was itself banned. Atilla was the first calypsonian to hold elected public office; he was elected to the Port of Spain City Council in 1946 and was elected to the
Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago The Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago served as an advisory commission to the governor in British-ruled Trinidad and Tobago, between 1831 and independence in 1962. The Legislative Council consisted of a mixture of appointed and elected ...
in 1950 representing the St. George County East. (See: ''
Elections in Trinidad and Tobago Elections in Trinidad and Tobago gives information on election and election results in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago (located in the Caribbean) elects on national level a House of Representatives (the Lower House of its legislature). T ...
''). He also authored ''Atilla's Kaiso: A Short History of Trinidad Calypso'' with
John La Rose John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
, published posthumously in 1983.


Notes


References

* Hill, Donald R. 1993. ''Calypso: Early Carnival Music in Trinidad''. University of Florida. (Includes a CD of early calypso music.) * Quevedo, Raymond (Atilla the Hun). 1983. ''Atilla's Kaiso: a short history of Trinidad calypso''. University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. (Includes the words to many old calypsos as well as musical scores for some of Atilla's calypsos.) * Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books,


See also

*
List of calypsos with sociopolitical influences This is a list of Calypso music, calypsos categorised by main topics. "Calypso music has been used by Calypsonians to provide sociopolitical commentary. Prior to the independence of Trinidad and Tobago, calypsonians would use their music to expres ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Attila the Hun 1892 births 1962 deaths Calypsonians Members of the Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago 20th-century Trinidad and Tobago male singers Trinidad and Tobago city councillors