Brother Valentino

The story so far.

Written and edited by Smokiller

Brother Valentino, born Emrold Anthony Phillip in Cherry Hill, Grenada, in 1941, moved to Trinidad and Tobago as a child and became one of calypso's leading voices of social and political commentary. NOW Grenada introduced him in 2019 as a Grenadian born, Trinidad based calypsonian whose uplifting, liberation themed songs were often heard in Grenada during the revolution years of 1979 to 1983, among them the classic "Stay Up Zimbabwe". That March he flew in to headline Champs in Concert at the Grenada Trade Centre, a vintage show marking the revolution's 40th anniversary, alongside calypso kings Ajamu, Scholar, Black Wizard and Rootsman Kelly. Organisers said that at 77 he showed no sign of slowing down as he sang "Stay Up Zimbabwe" and "Life is a Stage". Other recordings online include "Dis Place Nice", and the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago has published his set from its 2016 TUCO Vintage Concert. Caribbean National Weekly reported that he died on 20 October 2026, aged 85.