The Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) and its components – Carnival Bands Incorporated (CBI), Youlou Pan Movement (YPM) and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypsonians Association place on record our deep sadness at the recent passing of a cultural icon – Owen Claudius Ralph.
His life was devoted to the promotion of Culture and Arts. He was a painter, a sign painter by trade and a sculptor who was arguably the nation’s best at molding faces and figures.
Owen was also a noted wire bender and an artist and designer of excellence. In his early years he was a Panist and is best remembered for his participation in solo Tenor Pan competition.
Moreover, Owen Ralph was the Bandleader of the costume band Owen Ralph and the Professionals for almost forty (40) years which is renowned for his Naval and Military presentations at the annual Mardi Gras.
In 2013, the CDC granted official recognition to Mr. Ralph for his contribution to the Carnival culture in general and the Masquerade artform in particular on the occasion of the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of the Band of the Year competition. Two years ago, he was also recognized by the Youlou Arts Foundation for his work as an artist and designer.
The CDC and its components extend condolences to the family and friends of this cultural icon and in particular the members and masqueraders of Owen Ralph & the Professionals.