Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

Celebration of Women
and the Steelpan Art Form

Tribute To Women In Pan

Girl Pat Steel Orchestra

Steelband pioneer, Curtis Pierre, 70, said:

“Girl Pat was the female version of Invaders. It was around the time when the college boys were forming Dixieland. It’s the first and one of the few all girls’ steelbands. It was that kind of rebellious youth. I saw her about two years ago, when I had my pan school in Belmont. She passed and chatted with me. She looked totally un-Alzheimic.”

Join When Steel Talks

An excerpt from The Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan History and Evolution by Dr FIR (Fedo) Blake reads: “The most successful female venture in the steel pan movement was made by the Girl Pat Steel Orchestra of Hazel Henley of Picton Street, Newtown. She was an accomplished musician who played the piano and formed the band with some of her close friends. She was encouraged and ably assisted by Ellie Mannette and other panmen.

“It was Ellie who supplied the band with instruments and taught them how to play pan properly. Girl Pat Steel Orchestra soon became a force to be reckoned with and the band was invited to play at several functions, culminating in invitations to Guyana and Jamaica, where Girl Pat was a resounding success.”

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