The Ministry of Culture has extended condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of calypsonian Paul Augustus Nurse, popularly known as ‘The Mighty Groucher,’ who passed away a few days ago.
The ministry said in a press release that Nurse, 82, was one of Guyana’s veteran calypsonians and one of the earlier exponents of that grassroots art-form.
The Mahaicony-born Groucher moved to the Campbellville, Georgetown area in the 1950s, and he sang kaisos with such contemporaries as Fighter, Panther, Lord Coffee and others.
His popular “kweh-kweh” calypso promoted aspects of that Creole ceremony even as his other hits of the time included calypsos about “Educated Children”; “Dog Weddings”; “Labour Day in Brooklyn”; and “The Split.”
Groucher was father to six children and the Ministry of Culture said it was certain that “they would be comforted if not pleased to know that their dad contributed to Guyana’s traditional heritage in music through his wonderful, witty calypsos.”
The Thanksgiving Funeral Farewell Service for The Mighty Groucher was held last Friday at the Alleyne AME Zion Church at Regent Street, Lacytown, the release added.
