Born: Linda McArtha Monica Sandy-Lewis, April 27, 1940, Bethel Village, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
t was at the age of 13 that she began writing songs; in the intervening years, she composed more than 1000 songs and recorded over 20 albums. Known as the “mother of calypso”, Rose was one of the first female calypso stars and her lyrics frequently addressed issues such as racism and sexism in her songs. Her influence on the calypso music genre forced the Calypso King competition to be renamed the Calypso Monarch competition. Rose is not only a singer that writes about social issues. She is also an activist and has been designated as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for former child soldiers. She has also performed at numerous social change events throughout the Caribbean. There are numerous awards that she has received for being a living artist in the Caribbean.