Road March Winners in Trinidad | From 1834 to Present Day

Photo© owner is Ebuzztt.com 
The calypsonian said, "The road is made to walk on Carnival Day!" In this case, it was Let's Play, Ah Mas, and the result was 'Road March Song of the Year'!

The following post is a reprint from the blog Santiwah (replaced by Sokah2Soca). Some of the dates in the post date to an earlier period in the history of the "Official Road March Competition." The winning songs, played by the bands before 1961, were called "Leggos" (Break Away). From 1962 on, the competition became 'officially entrenched' in the carnival scene and culture and was given the name "Road March(current name).

The real names of the Calypsonians here were sourced from TUCO and added to this listing (to ensure 'full disclosure' with the listing). Thanks to TUCO and their research for listing the official names of the singers. The names were added here as a public service!

Before 1961, there was no official road march competition! The official competition was sanctioned in 1962! "Leggos" before 1962 and "Road March" from 1962—what does that mean? Simply put, the competition was given an official brand name by the authorities in 1962, with resources put in place to record plays to determine an 'official winner' for the most popular song played on the road and celebrated by the masqueraders.

As A Reminder:
Please note that from 1834 to 1931, there was no official competition but a record of the song most played. However, starting in 1932 and up until 1961, the official competition was called "Leggo" (let go/free up yourself). The following year, 1962, the competition carried the name "Road March."

The video at the end of this listing was sourced from YouTube and is presented for your listening pleasure by "IsDePanInMe." You can now listen to a selection of these winning calypsos!

We have updated the post to reflect "The Early Years" dating from 1834 to 1931. The information was sourced from Wikipedia Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_Road_March

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The Early Years 
1800
1834 Congo Barra - Point De Six Ans (No Six Years)
1835 to 1896 - No Information (pending)
1897 Chantwell - J'ouvert Band
1898 No Information (pending)
1899 Chantwell - Prisonie Levez

1900's
1900 to 1905 - No Information (pending)
1906 Sophie Mataloney aka Jamette Matador - Pauline
1907 Lionel Belasco - L'Annee Passee (last year); (melody used by Lord Invader in 1943 hit 'Rum and Coca Cola')

1910's
1911 Lionel Belasco - Poeme One
1915 - 1918 World War 1 - No Carnival
1919 (Information pending)

1920's
1920 Atilla The Hun - Bigman Sweetman
1921 Johnny Walker - Go Way Gal
1922 Atilla The Hun - Toddy
1923 King Houdini - Sly Mongoose
1924 (Name of Singer pending) - Mavis Powder
1925 King Houdini - Fire Brigade Water The Road
1926 Sam Manning - Camilla
1927 Atilla The Hun - Song pending (information needed)
1928 Mentor - Mr. Huggins
1929 Pending (information needed)

1930's
1930 Inveigler - Captain Cipriani
1931 King Houdini - Mr. Huggins (remake)

First Official Leggo on Record 1932
1932 Norman Spann aka King Radio  Tiger Tom Play Tiger Cat 
1933 Norman Spann aka King Radio  Wash Pan Wash
1934 Cletus Ali aka Dougla  After Johnny Drink Me Rum
1935 Rafael Cairi Llama De Leon aka Roaring Lion  Dingolay Oy
1936 Rafael Cairi Llama De Leon aka Roaring Lion  Advantage Could Never Done
1937 Rafael Cairi Llama De Leon aka Roaring Lion  Netty Netty
1938 Rafael Cairi Llama De Leon aka Roaring Lion  No Norah Darling
1939 Norman Spann aka King Radio  Mathilda

1940's
1940 Egbert Moore aka Beginner  Run Yuh Run
1941 Rafael Cairi Llama De Leon aka Roaring Lion  Whoopsin, Whoopsin
1942  No Carnival No Carnival
1943  No Carnival No Carnival
1944  No Carnival No Carnival
1945  No Carnival No Carnival
1946  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  - Jump In The Line or Chinese Never Had A VJ Day (Lai Fook Lee)/Unofficial Leggo for that year (information  is confusing regarding which song actually won).
1947  Andrew Bernard aka King Pharoah  King Pharoah
1948  Fitzroy Alexander aka Lord Melody (previously known as   Lord Livingstone) Canaan Barrow
 (Canaan Barrow as per the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Tel # (868) 623-2874)
*The 1948 Winner is now in dispute! Who really won in 1948? Was it, Lord Melody with "Canaan Barrow? Or, was it King Radio with "Who Dead, Canaan? Or, was it Mighty Killer with a song entitled "East Indians with Christian Names"?
1949  Victor Atwell aka Wonder  Ramgoat Baptism

1950's
1950  Cephas Alexander aka Killer  In a Calabash
1951  Fitzgerald Henry aka Terror  Tiny Davis
1952  Carlton Gomes aka Spit Fire  Post Post
1953  Carlton Gomes aka Spit Fire  Bow Wow Wow
1954  Carlton Joseph aka Blakie  Steel Band Clash
1955  German Composition/popular by BBC radio UK 1953/1954 Happy Wonderer (Valerie Valera)
1956  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Jean and Dinah
1957  Carlton Gomes aka Spitfire PNM (Peoples National Movement - Political Party)
1958  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Pay As You Earn
1959  Caruso  Run the Gunslingers

1960's
1960  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Mae Mae
1961  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Royal Jail

First Official Road March Winner Recorded
1962  Blakie  Maria 
1963  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  The Road
1964  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  This Is Mas
1965  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  My Pussin
1966  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Obeah Wedding
1967  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Sixty Seven
1968  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Miss Tourist
1969  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Sa Sa Yae

1970's
1970  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Margie
1971  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Madison Square
1972  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Drunk and Disorderly
1973  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Rainorama
1974  Winston Bailey aka "Shadow"  Bass Man
1975  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Tribute to Spree Simon
1976  Aldwyn Roberts aka Lord Kitchener  Flag Woman
1977  McArthur Lewis aka Calypso Rose  Tempo
1978  McArthur Lewis aka Calypso Rose   Come Leh We Jam (Soca Jam)
1979  Sylvester Lockhart aka Poser  Ah Tell She

1980's
1980  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Soca Baptist
1981  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Ethel
1982  Sedley Joseph akaPenguin  Deputy
1983  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Rebecca
1984  Slinger Francisco aka "The Mighty Sparrow"  Doh Back Back
1985  Edwin Ayoung aka Crazy   Soucoyant
1986  David Rudder  Bahia Girl
1987  Kelvin Pope aka Duke  Thunder
1988  Christopher Herbert aka Tambu  This Party Is It
1989  Christopher Herbert aka Tambu  Free Up

1990's
1990  Christopher Herbert aka Tambu  We Ain't Going Home
1991  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Get Something and Wave
1992  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Jab Jab
1993  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Bacchanal Time
1994  Barnett Henry aka Preacher  Jump and Wave
1995  Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue  Signal To Lara
1996  Nigel Lewis  Movin
1997  Machel Montano  Big Truck
1998  Wayne Rodriguez  Footsteps
1999  Sanell Dempster  River

2000's
2000  Austin Lyons aka Super Blue/Neil Iwer George (Tie) Pump Up/Carnival Come Back Again
2001  Winston Bailey aka Shadow  Stranger
2002  Naya George  Trinidad
2003  Faye-Ann Lyons  Display
2004  Shurwayne Winchester  De Band Coming
2005  Shurwayne Winchester  Dead or Alive
2006  Machel Montano and Patrice Roberts  Band of the Year
2007  Machel Montano  Jumbie
2008  Faye Ann Lyons Alvarez  Get on
2009  Faye Ann Lyons Alvarez  "Meet Super Blue"

2010's
2010  JW and Blaze Palance
2011 - Machel Montano HD - Advantage
2012 - Machel Montano - Pump Yuh Flag
2013 - Austin Lyons aka Blue Boy/Super Blue - Fantastic Friday
2014 - Machel Montano HD - MOR (Ministry of Road)
2015 - Machel "Monk Monte" Montano - Like Ah Boss
2016 - Machel Montano - Waiting on the Stage
2017 - Ultimate Rejects ft. MX Prime - Full Extreme
2018 - Machel Montano & Austin "Superblue" Lyons - Soca Kingdom
2019 - Machel Montano, Ian Alvarez (Bunji Garlin) & Gamal Doyle (Skinny Fabulous) - Famalay

2020's
2020 - Iwer George & Kees Dieffenthaller (of KES the Band) - Stage Gone Bad
2021 - No Carnival (Covid-19 Pandemic; Backyard Jam by Farmer Nappy most popular online!)
2022 - No Carnival (Covid-19 Pandemic)
2023 - Ian Alvarez aka Bunji Garlin - Hard Fete
2024 - To be determined...


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Unknown said…
Kitchener claims to have changed leggo to Road March. As far as I know Melody was the composer but Radio recorded it.Lion claims Wanga as a leggo.In 1957 Dr. Nelson sung by Nap Hepburn was said to be a road march.Rudd