Calypso legend Dr. Slinger “Mighty Sparrow” Francisco was laid to rest at Lapeyrouse Cemetery in Port-of-Spain on Saturday, a day after Trinidad and Tobago honoured the music icon with a state-assisted funeral filled with music, cultural performances and tributes.

The Trinidad Guardian reported that family members and selected guests attended the private burial shortly after 3 p.m., with police restricting public access to the cemetery. Port-of-Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne confirmed that the fees associated with the burial had been waived.

The burial followed Friday’s funeral service at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), where Prime Minister, politicians, relatives and fellow artistes celebrated Sparrow’s contribution to calypso and his lasting influence on Caribbean culture.

Along the procession route from Independence Square to NAPA, crowds gathered waving national flags as schoolchildren, moko jumbies, blue devils, music trucks and the Massy All Stars Steel Orchestra accompanied the farewell.

At the service, Sparrow’s daughter, Michelle Francisco, delivered an emotional eulogy, remembering the man behind the international reputation.

“But behind the legend was dad,” she said, reflecting on the affection and reassurance he provided despite his demanding performing career.

Sparrow died in Queens, New York, on September 27, aged 91, following a brief illness. Born in Grand Roy, Grenada, in 1935, he moved to Trinidad as a young child and rose to prominence with his 1956 hit Jean and Dinah.

Known for his storytelling, humour and songs including Congo Man and Mr. Walker, Sparrow recorded hundreds of compositions and won eight Calypso Monarch titles and eight Road March crowns.

His honours included Trinidad and Tobago’s Order of the Republic in 2014, the Order of the Caribbean Community and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

His passing marks the end of an era for calypso, but his music and cultural legacy continue to resonate across the Caribbean and beyond.