Steel Drums of Trinidad and Tobago, African Drums

Keith Preddie

Education: Tunapuna Boys' EC School, Nelson Street Boys' RC School, Richmond Street Boys' EC School, Queen's Royal College, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA (B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 
1966)

Steel Bands: Mexitones, Invaders, Symphonettes, The Trinidad Steelband of Washington, DCSpecialties:  Player (Tenor, Double-Tenor), ArrangerCareer: Preddie left Trinidad for Howard University in 1961 and immediately began managing and arranging for the Trinidad Steelband in Washington, DC. Shortly after his arrival, the band landed the sponsorship of the Texaco Oil Company and players enrolled at Howard University had their tuition paid by the company. In January 1969, the band took part in the Inaugural Parade for President Richard Nixon by providing the music for the U.S. Virgin Islands contingent. The band also appeared at functions that included performances by U.S. entertainers such as Jimmy Durante and the Count Basie Band. Over the years, the band played at numerous functions attended by U.S. senators and congressmen. As Carnival celebrations expanded all over North America, Preddie arranged for several steelbands in various Panorama competitions in New York and Washington, DC. In 1998, he returned to Trinidad to arrange the Panorama tune for the Tunapuna All Stars. He began making solo appearances in the 1990s, but continued to play with the Trinidad Steelband in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area into the early 2000s.