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Tellison ‘Tello’
Forde is the son of
an “Invader” - Cecil
“Coye” Forde - and
Beryl Isaac. He was
born at 67 Rosalino
Street in Woodbrook,
Trinidad, adjacent
to the pan yard of
Invaders Steel
Orchestra.
That “Tello” was the
son of an Invader
was proven when
Invaders performed
at his christening.
Father Cecil took
the Steeldrum
throughout Russia,
and was one of the
first to introduce
Pan in Spain and
Morocco in North
Africa. Young
Tellison followed in
his father’s
footsteps by
becoming a member of
Invaders Steel
Orchestra, and also
played tenor pan in
New York’s Moods Pan
Groove, Pan Rebels
and Bramblers USA.
“Tello” enlisted in
the US Navy from
November 1972 to
December 1984,
during which time he
had the good fortune
to serve under the
late Commander W.W.
Pippenger aboard the
USS Brumby DE 1044
which arrived in
Chaguaramas,
Trinidad in November
1975.
Tellison returned to
dedicated service
with Sealift Command
Department of the
Navy for 13 years,
always keeping his
tenor pan at hand.
He is well known
within the steelband
community for
compositions such as
Prophet of Pan
and
Coye: Pan Religion,
among others. |
