WST Pan Innovator
Steelpan Arranger
The legendary Anthony Williams

Anthony Williams

Steelpan Music Legends
Anthony Williams - North Stars
Panorama Championships
Trinidad & Tobago - 1963, 1964
click for more on Anthony Williams

right tap/click for bio

Anthony Williams (born 24 June 1931 in Port of Spain, Trinidad)

Tony, or 'Skip' as he is affectionately called, was one of that rare breed of complete panmen. He tuned the pans, built the stands on which they stood, arranged the music that provided those enchanting sounds and generally looked after every detail of the band's activities.

In the area of tuning, Tony introduced the Spider Web Pan. This design produced very rich and distinct tones; a feat which top tuners in the country now acknowledge was a great achievement. With this design, he arranged the notes in 'fourths' and 'fifths', the standard of the First Pan, otherwise known as the Tenor, today. Tony also introduced the double cello and a double strumming pan that was unique to Pan Am North Stars.


Additional info below posted with special permission from the BestOfTrinidad.com by Ronald C. Emrit - check link for updates

STEELBANDS:
  • Nob Hill (1940s)
  • Sun Valley (1940s)
  • North Stars (1950 - 1970s)
  • TASPO (1951)
  • SPECIALTIES:
  • Tuner
  • Player
  • Arranger
     
  • CAREER:  Williams began his career in the 1940s with Nob Hill and later moved to Sun Valley. After a brief stay, he moved over to North Stars where he eventually took over the leadership of the band. He was one of twelve panmen selected to join TASPO as the Trinidad & Tobago representatives at the 1951 Music Festival in England. He was a great innovator and was credited with being the first man to put the multi-drum bass on wheels for ease in moving them on the streets during Carnival. He worked tirelessly at developing the "spider-web" pan design and, by 1962, achieved great success when his North Stars won the Steelband Music Festival. After the Panorama competition was initiated in 1963, North Stars won the championship the first two years in 1963 and 1964. The following is a summary of Williams' record in significant steelband competition:
    • Steelband Music Festival
    • 1962 - "Voices of Spring" (Johann Strauss), 1st
    • 1966 - "Poets and Peasants" (Franz Von Suppe), 1st
    • Panorama
    • 1963 - "Dan Is the Man in the Van" (Mighty Sparrow), 1st
    • 1964 - "Mama Dis Is Mas" (Lord Kitchener), 1st
    • 1965 - "Hold on to Your Man" (Lord Kitchener), 2nd
    AWARDS:
    • 1969 - Trinidad & Tobago Humming Bird Medal Bronze (for Steelband Development)
    • 1991 - Trinidad & Tobago Humming Bird Medal Silver (for Culture)
    • .... - Trinidad & Tobago Order of the Republic
    Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit
     
      An Exclusive When Steel Talks Interview with Anthony Williams  


     
    When Steel Talks shirts
    now available!
    Order yours now! When Steel Talks -- Shopping