At 17 years old, he was the youngest calypsonian to grace the Pic-O-De Crop Finals stage in 1985. And even then, the former student of the Lodge School placed fifth in the competition.
Anderson Mr Blood Armstrong went on to be accredited as one of the best male entertainers in Barbados, as part of the band Square One which achieved international success on a historic tour to South Africa for Cricket World Cup 2003.
In 2018, with his two songs Stars and Stripes and Sexual Harassment, he became the country’s latest Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch.
Q: What does Barbados mean to you?
A: Barbados means several things to me, but most of all it is the home I love and would not trade for the world. Barbados means souse on Saturdays, conkies at Independence, dominoes with friends and neighbours, and a sense that no matter how bad things get, we as a people still hold strong in a civilized way that most other places don’t.
Q: What is an authentic Bajan?
A: An authentic Barbadian in my mind is the person who goes the extra distance to support and represent all things Bajan; the person who was born here and, no matter where he or she goes, never forgets or abandons their heritage and dialect.
Q: What is your favourite Barbadian tradition?
A: I think because I am a Christmas fanatic, the tuk band going from house to house on Christmas morning would top the list. That was something to see and hear when I was a little boy. One of my first memories of even going to Bridgetown Market when it was in the city, was that of jammin’ behind a tuk band.
Q: What is your favourite Barbadian word?
A: My favourite Barbadian word is a colourful adjective/noun/verb that begins with the letter ‘R’.
Q: What does Independence mean to you?
A: Independence for me means pride as a people and a nation; productivity to sustain ourselves and love and respect for our people and our nation; to be free to decide and chart a future for the next generations and help Barbados grow and prosper. (LG)
