Irving Burgie book cover.

NEW YORK (CMC):

New York City Council has honoured composer Irving Burgie during its annual Caribbean Christmas Celebration at New York City Hall held recently.

The council said Burgie, also renowned as the composer of Jamaica Farewell and Day-O, was awarded the proclamation "in tribute to his lifetime of musical and philanthropic contributions".

"The incomparable Irving Burgie continues to serve as a source of tremendous pride for Caribbean nationals across the diaspora," Comrie told the ceremony that comprised a wide section of the Caribbean community here.

"He is a role model for aspiring singers and composers in our city and across the world," he added.

Burgie composed about 34 songs for singer Harry Belafonte, of Jamaican parentage, between 1955 and 1960.

1956 Belafonte album

These included 11 songs on the 1956 Belafonte album Calypso, which remained number one on the Billboard charts for 32 weeks, and was the first album of any kind to sell over one million copies.

Burgie also composed other songs for Belafonte, such as Island in the Sun, which was the title of the 1957 hit movie.

In 1966, Burgie composed the words for the National Anthem of the newly, independent nation of Barbados. His songs have sold over 100 million records worldwide, and his music has been performed by artistes around the globe.

Burgie has also penned songs for the Kingston Trio and many other groups. His songs have been featured in numerous films and music videos, with Day-O being the "wake-up call" for the astronauts on the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1997.

Burgie was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924 to a Barbadian mother. He grew up surrounded by people from the Caribbean.

After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Burgie studied music at Julliard School of Music in New York, the University of Arizona and the University of Southern California.

Influenced by folk music

Burgie

He was influenced by folk music, and began performing and writing songs. In the early 1950s, he began performing in Chicago and New York, collaborating, during this time, with Louise "Miss Lou" Bennett, the late, renowned Jamaican folklorist. He also assumed the name Lord Burgess.

Earlier this year, Burgie was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He is a frequent visitor to Barbados, where he has established the Irving Burgie Literary and Creative Scholarship Awards for the last 28 years.