Lord Flea & His Calypsonians

The story so far.

Written and edited by Smokiller

Lord Flea & His Calypsonians were the band fronted by Norman Byfield Thomas, who performed as Lord Flea and is credited with helping start the calypso craze in the United States. Thomas was born in Kingston and started out at dancehalls such as Adastra Gardens and Success, and in 1949 talent contests at the Sugar Hill Club won him a year-long engagement. His early singles came out under names like The Blue Mountain Caroleers and The Jamaican Calypsonians. Bill Saxon, owner of Club Calypso in Miami, signed the group for a residency, and the band toured America through the late 1950s and released an album on Capitol. Its members used stage names such as Count Slick, Count Spoon and Prince Charles, with bassist Fish Ray. On 9 February 1957 they played Shake Shake Sonora and Where Did The Naughty Little Flea Go on The Perry Como Show. Flea himself explained that their style was really mento, sold as calypso. He died on 18 May 1959.