Alston Backet Cyrus
Legendary soca artiste/composer, Alston BECKET Cyrus, has fostered an illustrious 35-year career with 26 albums, numerous award-winning singles, 1 movie soundtrack, 5 compositions featured in four American TV programs, the sitcom Full House and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno amongst them, and 8 Road March titles, all to his credit. Through his achievements and distinguished musicianship Becket has earned his title as the 'ABC' of Calypso/Soca.
Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in the Caribbean, Becket's first love was the steel pan. As a teenager he realized that he also had a gift for singing and switched to calypso. In 1972, while a member of the US Army, Becket decided that he wanted to pursue a singing career and as a result he performed in the successful US Soldier's Tour in Hawaii 1972-1974. His professional career began in 1975 and he quickly became popular as a young calypsonian.
In 1976 Becket began working with calypso and soca's greatest arranger, Frankie McIntosh, a union that has lasted 34 years and still going. In 1977, he struck gold with his break-out hit, Coming High, and followed with equally successful singles like Wine Down Kingstown (1978), Cocoa (1980), and the monsterhits Calypso Noel (1982), Ooh La La (1983), Teaser (1990) and Small Pin (1999)! In 1991, he received the Record of the Year and Best Party Tune awards, for Teaser, at the first ever Caribbean Music Awards held at the world famous Apollo Theatre (NYC). He was honored three times by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and earned an award from the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Houston for Teaser. In 1994 Ella Me Vacila (the Spanish version of Teaser) earned him a BMI Latin Award and aBillboard/Univision Award for the Salsa/Tropical Song of the Year. Cover versions of this song have been done in several other languages. During Trinidad's Carnival 2000, smash hits Small Pin and Doh Eat And Lie Down swept the Caribbean airwaves. In addition to party tunes, Becket creatively penned several songs related to world events, Caribbean politics and carnival, such as Love Is The Answer (remade in 2001 featuring post 911 lyrics), Carnival History (earning him the Calypso King of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1975), Legalize The Grass, Human Rights, I Am An African, Hezekiah, Mama,Oppression, Cardo, Marie-Anne, I Want Soca, I Cry, Gal Ah Rush Me, Say No To Drugs, Laramania,Rights, Bring Back Moses Law, Grenada Will Rise Again and Don't Look Down On Ah Man, to name a few.
As a veteran calypso/soca artiste, Becket has performed throughout the Caribbean, Canada, Spain,England, Columbia and the United States to include various college tours & festivals. In 2000 Becket made history becoming the first Caribbean artiste to perform at the US Open and was listed as one ofthe 17 Outstanding Caribbean Personalities of the 20th Century. In 2001 the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines made him a Goodwill Ambassador.
This prolific composer and highly revered Caribbean music icon continues to be a source of inspiration for generations to come. His style, grace and versatility leave you with an insatiable desire for more of hishypnotic melodies reflecting the musicianship of a master. His latest CD, The Singles File, is a mixture of hit singles that were never on an album, plus 3 brand new tracks, including President Obama, one of the best of the many songs written in commemoration of Barack Obama becoming the first black President of the United States. This album has been added to iTunes music store. Becket is the first calypso/soca artisteto be featured on Apple computer's world-famous iPod and the iTunes music jukebox software.
Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in the Caribbean, Becket's first love was the steel pan. As a teenager he realized that he also had a gift for singing and switched to calypso. In 1972, while a member of the US Army, Becket decided that he wanted to pursue a singing career and as a result he performed in the successful US Soldier's Tour in Hawaii 1972-1974. His professional career began in 1975 and he quickly became popular as a young calypsonian.
In 1976 Becket began working with calypso and soca's greatest arranger, Frankie McIntosh, a union that has lasted 34 years and still going. In 1977, he struck gold with his break-out hit, Coming High, and followed with equally successful singles like Wine Down Kingstown (1978), Cocoa (1980), and the monsterhits Calypso Noel (1982), Ooh La La (1983), Teaser (1990) and Small Pin (1999)! In 1991, he received the Record of the Year and Best Party Tune awards, for Teaser, at the first ever Caribbean Music Awards held at the world famous Apollo Theatre (NYC). He was honored three times by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and earned an award from the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Houston for Teaser. In 1994 Ella Me Vacila (the Spanish version of Teaser) earned him a BMI Latin Award and aBillboard/Univision Award for the Salsa/Tropical Song of the Year. Cover versions of this song have been done in several other languages. During Trinidad's Carnival 2000, smash hits Small Pin and Doh Eat And Lie Down swept the Caribbean airwaves. In addition to party tunes, Becket creatively penned several songs related to world events, Caribbean politics and carnival, such as Love Is The Answer (remade in 2001 featuring post 911 lyrics), Carnival History (earning him the Calypso King of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1975), Legalize The Grass, Human Rights, I Am An African, Hezekiah, Mama,Oppression, Cardo, Marie-Anne, I Want Soca, I Cry, Gal Ah Rush Me, Say No To Drugs, Laramania,Rights, Bring Back Moses Law, Grenada Will Rise Again and Don't Look Down On Ah Man, to name a few.
As a veteran calypso/soca artiste, Becket has performed throughout the Caribbean, Canada, Spain,England, Columbia and the United States to include various college tours & festivals. In 2000 Becket made history becoming the first Caribbean artiste to perform at the US Open and was listed as one ofthe 17 Outstanding Caribbean Personalities of the 20th Century. In 2001 the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines made him a Goodwill Ambassador.
This prolific composer and highly revered Caribbean music icon continues to be a source of inspiration for generations to come. His style, grace and versatility leave you with an insatiable desire for more of hishypnotic melodies reflecting the musicianship of a master. His latest CD, The Singles File, is a mixture of hit singles that were never on an album, plus 3 brand new tracks, including President Obama, one of the best of the many songs written in commemoration of Barack Obama becoming the first black President of the United States. This album has been added to iTunes music store. Becket is the first calypso/soca artisteto be featured on Apple computer's world-famous iPod and the iTunes music jukebox software.
