‘King Olo’: Music is my therapy

After years of alcohol abuse, one of North Leeward’s better all round entertainers is finally where he wants to be.

After his band Pan Power opened the festivities to mark the launch of the 2008 North Leeward Carnival, Inford “King Olo” Tucker sat down with SEARCHLIGHT for an exclusive interview.{{more}}

Tucker was born into a musical family. His father, Henry Tucker, played the guitar, saxophone and clarinet throughout St Vincent during the 50s and 60s. Before the age of five, Olo was playing the guitar. Olo also plays the organ and steel pan and is a noted composer and calypsonian; he won the 1971 South Leeward calypso crown.

Tucker played extensively throughout the Grenadines hotel circuit, but his abuse of alcohol has been a constant deterrent to his progress. “I could have been better off if not for alcohol”, he said. Tucker said that from time to time he would stop drinking, sometimes for years, then he would find himself drinking again.

At present, Olo is the leader of a seven-member steel band named Pan Power, after the 70s Chateaubelair based steel band headed by North Leeward’s cultural icon Grafton “Super” Audain. “This is in tribute to Super, Olo said.

Olo said that so far, he has spent over $3,000 buying pans and a used drum set and to pay for the tuning of the pans. “I don’t mind because I spent more in alcohol and bad living already. After life is music for me”. Olo said he has been off alcohol for over a year now and he intends to stay that way. “Music is my therapy”, he said.

Pan Power will perform at all the carnival activities in North Leeward. Tucker said that his future plans include teaching music to the youngsters in the community, “You see, I am getting down in age and I want to see this community rise”, he said.