[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO CAMILLE ``KING DERBY'' MACEDON

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                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 2, 2008

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute a cultural icon in 
my home community of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Camille ``King 
Derby'' Macedon, who has spent much of his life in the performance and 
preservation of our musical art forms.
  In 1957, Camille ``King Derby'' Macedon began singing calypso, or 
``kaiso'' as he always reminds us, as it is a link from our African 
musical heritage that took root in the Caribbean over the 400 years of 
our people's sojourn there. Since that time he has performed for 
audiences large and small and is an 11-time winner of the St. Croix 
Calypso Crown. He has won competitions in calypso tents from St. Lucia 
to Canada.
  King Derby is a well-known figure, as he performs with his ukulele, 
solo or with a quelbe band, lending his rhythm and distinctive musical 
styling to the songs of our lives, which are often social commentary 
par excellence. He has recorded several popular compositions such as 
``Juan Luis Jam'' (1979), ``Rum and Coke'' (1989), and ``Witey Could 
Wine'' (1982).
  In 1982, in an effort to preserve the calypso art form, King Derby 
founded Calypso, Inc., an organization which gives workshops in the 
Virgin Islands schools to students who have the talent and are 
interested in becoming musicians. He has taught our youth the 
traditional means of preserving history and telling stories with local 
flavor and color in order to keep our vibrant culture alive. The young 
people with whom he has worked over the past two decades are known as 
``Junior Calypsonians'' and perform every year during our Christmas 
Festival and Agricultural Festival.
  As his day job, Camille ``Derby'' Macedon has worked for the Virgin 
Islands Department of Public Works for the past 40 years, the last 20 
in the Utilities Division.
  He has been married for 39 years to his wife Leona and they have 
seven children to include Walton, Randall, Michelle, Renee, Doreen, 
Monique, Marjorie and Aubrey.

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