Veteran soca artist Tommy T passes

Veteran Vincentian soca artist Ephraim ‘Tommy T’ Thompson died about 1:00 am last Sunday at Kingsbrook Jewish Hospital in Brooklyn, New York.{{more}}

He had been admitted to the hospital after he suffered a stroke about a month before. He was 65-years-old.

Born in Cedars, where his 93-year-old mother Gertrude Thompson still resides, Tommy T was a school teacher, then a police officer before he migrated to the United States over 40 years ago. Thompson was the father of two; his adult daughter Teniesha lives in Connecticut while teenager Tamara lives with her mother in Brooklyn.

He is also survived by brothers Louis in Canada, Carlton in Trinidad, Jonathon in Florida and Clifton in Texas; his sisters Barbara and Cheryl both lives in Brooklyn.

Thompson became popular in the 1980s and kept on singing and performing until the mid 1990s. His mega hit ‘Tabanka’ is still a party favourite in the Caribbean, US and United Kingdom 27 years after its release. Thompson last visited SVG late last year.

Promoter and radio personality Junior ‘Soca” Jones told SEARCHLIGHT that Tommy T was a generous and humble person and that he helped out whenever he could. Jones also said that a few years ago, when they were hosting the band HS Factor in the United States, Thompson offered one of his buildings free of charge so that the band members could live in until the end of their tour.

“He wasn’t around recently, but he has definitely made his mark, Tabanka is still one of the biggest songs out of SVG of all times. His music is gonna definitely stay with us,” Jones said.

A funeral service will be held later today at Freedom Hall Church of God at 629 Albany Avenue in Brooklyn.

The viewing of the body will begin at 5:00 pm until 7:00, the service will begin at 7:00 and will continue until 9:00 o’clock.

The funeral procession will leave the church on Saturday at 9:00 am for the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Queens, New York.

Meanwhile, the SVG Calypso Association Inc has expressed its sadness on the passing of Ephraim ‘Tommy T” Thompson.

“Tommy T … was a virtual permanent fixture on the “All Stars Show’ which was part of Vincy Mas from the late 1970’s to the 1980’s…. Tommy T’s most reknowned tune was “Tabanca”, which was also a hit in Trinidad and other Caribbean states. May his soul rest in peace,” a release from the organization said.