McDonald Bailey, athlete, with steel band, Trinidad

1955 - McDonald Bailey wants to put Steel Bands on the map : Famous athletic McDonald Bailey who has done so much for sport and a lot in putting Trinidad on the map in the field of Athletics - is now very keen that people should know more of the culture of his country. For that reason he is encouraging the Trained All-Steel orchestra and has offered to appear with them on TV. The All-Steel orchestra is something that comes exclusively from Trinidad. It was born in the Island's slums. when the boys, having no work or money and yet wanting to indulge in their inherited love of music made drums out of the bottoms of dustbins. They are known as pans, the bottoms are pierced, beaten and welded into 13 to 14 parts. In Trinidad the band was at first illegal but today it has the backing of the churches and even of a government minister. Photo shows McDonald Bailey attends rehearsal of the steel band and accompanies the boys on the maracas

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Accompanies Appear Attends Backing Bands Beaten Bottoms Done Dustbins Encouraging Exclusively Illegal Indulge Inherited Keen Maracas Mcdonald Offered Pans Percussion Pierced Reason Slums Trained Trinidad Wanting Wants Welded

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