Source: Erasmus Williams FB
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Another cultural giant in the calypso arena has passed.
Born in Sandy Point to Mat and Kate Shield, Walston Shield was widely known as King Star Shield.
King Star Shield was a composer, arranger, performer, and the author of all his songs.
His calypso career began in 1973 when he entered the Junior Calypso competition. The following year, he captured the Junior Calypso Crown.
During the 1977/78 National Carnival, he won the St. Kitts-Nevis Senior Calypso Crown. This marked the beginning of his role as a cultural ambassador for St. Kitts and Nevis, touring Tortola and representing the Federation at the Caribbean Calypso Competition held in Antigua.
He later travelled to Puerto Rico, where he recorded his first legendary album, The Good Man, backed by the local band Grand Ash II Express.
In 1979, he travelled to Cuba to participate in CARIFESTA, which was held during the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Cuban Revolution.
In 1980, he recorded his contender for Caribbean Song of the Year, Mental Slavery, which topped the record charts at No. 1 for 16 weeks on two separate occasions.
Mental Slavery was backed by G.I.’s Brass International. Another hit, Sweatin’ Soca, also backed by G.I.’s Brass International, was later re-recorded by Roy Alton of Guyana and reached No. 1 on the British Soca Charts, where it remained for six months.
King Star Shield further demonstrated his musical versatility with his rendition of the love ballad Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms). He orchestrated the entire recording himself, performing all the instruments and vocals. His version reached No. 1 on FM radio in Vancouver, Canada.
In 1981, he recorded the album The World Needs Love, backed by Eddie and the Movements, now known as Jam Band. The album featured classics such as The Good Shepherd and the Road March-winning hit Hooray Mas.
In 1982, Star Shield recorded Soca Rengue in New York City. The song topped the charts and became No. 1 on WLIB, then the leading Caribbean music radio station.
He later toured North America alongside the Calypso King of the World, Slinger Francisco (The Mighty Sparrow), and other leading Caribbean calypsonians.
King Star Shield was again crowned Calypso King during the 1987/88 National Carnival, becoming the first calypsonian in the Federation to receive the coveted prize car with his winning song, Story of the Hidden Light.
In 1989, he recorded Jam Fever, backed by Kenrick Georges, which became a popular road march favourite in Pennsylvania and Detroit, Michigan, in the United States.
He performed at numerous conferences throughout the Federation, including the Caribbean Heads of Government Conference in 2006, held at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Auditorium. There, he delivered a memorable performance of his song Powers of Nations, accompanied by his 12-string acoustic guitar. His performance earned him an exceptional standing ovation.
That same year, he competed in the inaugural Best of the Best Calypso Competition, facing eleven other calypso monarchs from the Federation and emerging victorious to claim the crown.
In 2010, Star Shield delivered a stunning performance at the St. Kitts Music Festival, earning thunderous applause from an audience that demanded an encore, which he delivered with excellence.
King Star Shield continued his career in the performing arts as a one-man band within the tourism industry, entertaining audiences at hotels, restaurants, and for arriving cruise passengers.
His extraordinary versatility enabled him to excel across numerous musical genres, including Calypso, Soca, R&B, Soul, Ballads, Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Gospel, leaving behind a rich musical legacy that will be remembered for generations.
