“I am 19, not 91. You all got it wrong. It’s God’s blessings. The Mighty Sparrow is more a churchman now.”

So chuckled quintessential Caribbean calypso icon Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) as he celebrated his 91st birthday yesterday.

In 2014, Sparrow, also called the “The Birdie”, was a recipient of the Order of the Republic Of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT)—the nation’s highest honour. His extensive and impressive collection of music includes gems like “The Slave”, “Education”, “Survival”, “Mae Mae”, “Saltfish”, “Both Ah Dem” and “Marajhin”.