David Michael Rudder is a Trinidadian calypsonian, known to be one of the most successful calypsonians of all time. He performed as lead singer for the brass bandCharlie's Roots. Nine years later, Rudder stepped outside the band, entering the calypso tent as a solo calypsonian in 1986, which was followed by an unprecedented rise to fame. "Almost overnight he became a national hero of the order of Marley in Jamaica, Fela in Nigeria and Springsteen in New Jersey," wrote Daisann McClane, American journalist and Worldbeat correspondent for Rolling Stone Magazine. His music quickly became the subject of music critics around the world: "From New York to London to Tokyo, where the Japanese have released a CD of Rudder's greatest hits complete with lyrics translated into Japanese, Rudder has been described as modern calypso's most innovative songwriter."
Career
Born in Belmont, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, one of nine children, Rudder spent much of his early life with his grandmother, a devout Baptist. He began singing with a calypso band at a young age, and in his teens sang backup vocals in a calypso tent run by Lord Kitchener, while earning his living as an accountant with the Trinidad Bus Company. In 1977, he joined Charlie's Roots, a leading band in Trinidad and Tobago, which launched with help and sponsorship from New York-based record producer Rawlson Charles, and Rudder spent many years as one of the band's vocalists. In 1986, he came to prominence on Andy Narell's album The Hammer, which produced two big hits: "The Hammer" and "Bahia Girl". This was followed in 1987 with "Calypso Music", a brilliant encapsulation of the history of calypso. In 1988 Rudder released what is widely considered his best album to date, Haiti, which included the title track, a tribute to the glory and suffering of Haiti; "Engine Room", which captured the energy of the steel band; and "Rally 'Round the West Indies", which became the anthem of West Indies cricket. In 1991, four tracks performed by Rudder were included in the soundtrack of the film Wild Orchid: "Dark Secret", "Children Of Fire ", and "Just a Carnival", which includes Rudder in the final scene in the movie "performing" on the beach. In 2008, Rudder did a Soca collaboration with fellow Trinidadian Machel Montano, "Oil and Music" on Machel's 2007 album Flame On. In 2011 David Rudder performed a soca collaboration called "Glow" with Barbados' "Queen of Soca" Alison Hinds.
