Lord Cam's Autobiography- Writing My Own Eulogy
Dedicated to my loving children and Grand children, And to all the resilient sons and daughters of Nevis.
MY full name Cloville Anthony Morton, my initials gave me my calypso/singing moniker Lord Cam. Born May 21st 1950 in humble beginnings to Luther Morton a small shopkeeper and Mildred Morton-teacher Mildred, a simple but brilliant school teacher.
I was very bright/intelligent and was the second youngest then to attend the Charlestown Secondary school at age 10 and 2 months after excelling in the schools common entrance exams of 1969.
I was from early very self opiniated.
In 1977 I won the prestigious Millicent Byron Award given to the Top Nevisian student in 6th form.
Then I started to teach at the Basseterre Junior high school in St. Kitts, even teaching persons who were 19 and older than me. The following year I was transferred to the Gingerland Hight School in Nevis, and In thet year I started to sing calypso or became a calypsonian, composing my own songs.
I came out with a bang with a Political ditty called Sing Bout Dat which became the most popular song on Radio ZIZ and helped me to place 3rd in the Calypso competetion. It also got me invited to sing on a show with King Short Shirt at Carnival village along withKing Star Shield, accompanied by the Grand Ash 2. I taught for 12.5years, and produce 3 medical doctors, 1 lawyer, a politiian in the Nevis Government, and one in the St. Kitts Government, many plumbers and at least one building contractor, 3 cricketers who made the Nevis team and 1 in Runako Morton went on the make the West Indies Team. I was teaching at the Gingerlan Primary School at the time... and I was in chrge of Sports. I spotted 3 very talented players in Grade 3 who I incorpertaed into the school's cricket team with the bigger boys in grade 6 and pushed them. They were Cory Maynard, Runarko and Joel Simmonds. Strangely Cory was the most talented of the 3 but he did not go on. Runarko was the least disiplined, he went on, and Joel made the Leeward Islands Team.
I worked at the Development Bank as a loans officer and reached assistance manager Nevis Branch for 20 years, and helped a lot a lot of small people to acquire loans. I even bent the rules a little to accomodate many people who were not qualified by the book, but these were my best paying clients. They never disappointed.
In terms of Calypso I made the finals on countless occasions but never won the Calypso KingCrown although I was known as the People's King as I represented the cries of the poor and downtrodden. In fact many persons approached me to sing about their problems when they felt they were not getting justice, which I did most times. I accomodated them. And I got things done, I got great results. Today we have much improved services of roads, ater and electricity thanks to my tenacity in imploring for improvement in these areas. The politicians especially Vance Amory used to listen to me very keenly and buy my music and act on my suggestions. I remember I sang about a sign at the hospital Dispensary whih read '5 dollars every Item'. I argues that most of thesedrungs were gotten free as donations. After our Festival Season called Culturama I happened to pass by the Dispensay at the HOspital and the sign was gone. Similarly In a song called De wrong Chorus which is on you tube. I sang that our aschools are badly in need of repairs. Once again immediately after Culturama all the schools on island were hurriedly repaired before the beggining of the new school term. I caused the referandum for Sesession in 98 to fail with 2 powerful numbers-Why Ah Voting No, and What Arbe Go Yete (What are we Going to Eat?) both on You tube.
I have about 75 poems on line if you Google Lord Cam Poems, and 28 Calypsoes on You Tube if you serach on there for Lord Cam Nevis.
I do not have much in terms of possessions and I am poor not rich. I own 2 refrigerators and 3 lap tops and some pet cats and kittens which make me very very happy. I do not have much money. But I have had a wonderful Life and I possess a staisfied mind. I have suffered a lot of victimisation in my life, but that strengthened my resolve and fortituge and my chracter and personality. It also served to keep me humble. And in the words of Billy Joel, I love these last days of mine.
I remember when I sang Neutral-Avery satirical Kaiso which is on you tube sudio version as well as Live version, , Vance Amory as Premier hated the song and fired Me. Me and Lawyers Henry Stugumber Brown, took the matter up with the Public Service Board of Appeal and won. The ruling was that I was to be reinstated and paid for every day I was home. But Mr. Amory refused, And the kind hearted than Prime Minister Dr > Goublas stepped in and gave me a job at the Development Bank, which I hels until The Labour Goverment Lost The Election after 20 years and I was promptly fired again, no reason given in my dismissal Letter. The stark irony that I had just received a great job report and also an awrd for 20 years of outstanding service. Also prior 2 being fired the bank workers received about a 20 percent raise of slary across the board, which was give to all except myself and a worker at the St. Kitts Branch -great friend or mine called Ersalyn Vanterpool.. . Ersalyn died some time ago, and I wondered if injustices like this contributed to her untimely death.
Fast Forward to the Covid Times. I helped to save a lot of lives by besseching folks in my area-friends and foes alike, not to take their poisonous Experiental Gene Therapy or Gene therapy Experiment. So Sorry my best friend a lady called Peppa did not heed my call. I dedicate the next line to her memory. Dear Peppa, ever since you were gone, I have prayed to the Lord that he would make me just a little kinder to near match your super kind personality. You were such a hero and champion to our community. I wis to strive to be more like you.
I must mention that King Ellie Matt and Starshield of St. Kitts were my good friends. Ellie Matt Loves me.... he and his band backed me up once when I was invited to St. Kitts to sing on a show. And he, and Junie Liburd and Goldwen Caines-the last 2 were/are radio personalities, always encouraged me and mentined that I was their Favorite Nevisian Calypsonian.
I have about 75 calypsoes on my Lenovo Computer (pin 9060) about 50 not on you tube.
God granted me 2 lovely daughters, 6 lovely grand children, a son who does not seem to emember his father these days and some lovely pet cats and kittens all of which I am very proud of.
I am very proud to have written the calypsoes, Neutral, Sing Bout Dat, Message of Goodwill, I Believe in Me, Why An Voting No, Dugu Gordon,and even Nevis Culturama. These were divine inspiration. I am very proud of my small achievements.
I will admit that I am a very conceited man, and headstrong. Standing fast to the points and principals I believe in, those tried tested and proven. But my friends all admit that I do not carry or bear malice, and that I am always willing to forgive. But I never liked or tolerated double standards and hypocrisy and I always have been a man to my word, who belives in puntuality. And Most of all I possess a satisfied Mind, always giving thanks unto the Lord for small mercies. At one stage I was a big Atist arguing that there cound not be a God with all the unfairness in the world. But then I could not stand the Big Bang nor evolution theories and I felt that surely there must be a God or Gods. I have also won countless domino tournaments on island. My partner most of the times is the great Greville Liburd- De Rock. My favorite Hymn- It Is well with my soul.... I also like Ride on In Majesty.
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