Dunstan “Carwash”
Lawrence from
Trinidad & Tobago is a composer
and calypso
‘regular.’ Dunstan
made his calypso
tent debut in 1999.
Though not
a very familiar face
to everyone on the
steelpan music
scene, Dunstan, who
performs under the
sobriquet “Carwash,”
saw his music work
recognized and
performed by one of
Trinidad’s
powerhouse steel
orchestras -
world-renowned
Trinidad All Stars -
back in 1998.
Equipped with
Dunstan’s track
called Me and Meh
Lady, All Stars
went to the Panorama competition
of that year,
eventually placing
third in the
country’s national
championship competition, behind
Exodus and Nutones
Steel Orchestras.
Dunstan has
persevered - composed and
recorded his works
through the years.
For 2009, his
offering in the
calypso arena was
Ah Rockin,
featured on the 2009
compilation called
Wild and Wonderful.
There was also
2010’s
Pong
It for Dunstan aka
“Carwash,” along
with 2011’s
The Alien Steelband,
and also
Million Dollar
Music in 2012.
Now 58 years ‘young,’ Dunstan Lawrence is an inspirational
social story. Turning his life
around after being on the “wrong track”
and then ‘paying his debt to society’
from 1985 for about ten years, Dunstan
had turned in part
to music to fill his long days and
nights spent in confinement. After
that, he emerged a
focused and driven individual with a portfolio of
music amassed during that period.
He was given a
huge morale and confidence boost with
the success and recognition gained less
than two years later, when Trinidad All
Stars selected his music for the
national Panorama competition. Dunstan is a
survivor and example of determination
and talent. He works now in the
security services, where his employers
and colleagues alike reference him as an
exemplar and grounded individual.
For the 2015
Panorama season the
artist is back with
the track featured
here,
Fire and Smoke.
Like he has done
with a significant
portion of his
music through the
years, Dunstan
looked once
more to the ace
producing talents of
champion arranger
himself
Pelham Goddard.
bio by C. Phillips
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