Irving Burgie
Irving Burgie | |
|---|---|
Burgie at an interview | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Irving Louis Burgie |
| Also known as | Lord Burgess Irving Burgess |
| Born | July 28, 1924 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 29, 2019 (aged 95) Queens, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Folk music, calypso |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Irving Louis Burgie (July 28, 1924 – November 29, 2019), sometimes known professionally as Lord Burgess, was an American musician and songwriter, regarded as one of the greatest composers of Caribbean music. He composed 34 songs for Harry Belafonte, including eight of the 11 songs on the Belafonte album Calypso (1956), the first album of any kind to sell one million copies. Burgie also wrote the lyrics of the National Anthem of Barbados. To date, songs penned by Irving Burgie have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.