St Crispin’s Church, Woodbrook, proved too small for the hundreds of mourners, family, friends, businessmen and pan icons who yesterday attended the funeral of panman David “Splav” Waddell. Waddell, who died on December 1, was an icon among pan enthusiasts and musicians.
Although there were several tributes, no words were used to honour Waddell. Instead, colleagues and friends spoke in the language they knew he would understand best, music. Michael Franco and Len “Boogsie” Sharpe began the tributes with the Mighty Sparrow’s Memories, customising the lyrics to honour Waddell. “David Waddell, we’ll always remember you, as captain when Starlift pass,” Franco sang.
Waddell was captain of the Starlift Steel Orchestra, before forming his own steelband, Third World Symphony. Before his involvement in Starlift, as a young Queen’s Royal College student, Wadell began his pan days with Invaders. He lectured on pan in London and did commentaries on the instrument on television and radio. Waddell was also an adjudicator for Panorama and pan competitions around the world. The pan tributes followed with a solo rendition from Sharpe, who had to be consoled after performing.
In an interview after the service, PanTrinbago president Keith Diaz described Waddell as a “great steelband man.” “There are pannists and there are steelband men and steelband women. Splav was a steelband man,” he said. “He was a simple man. In the pan world he has always been identified as a steelband man. And when you are a steelband man that is a higher level. When you are a steelband man, you can play, you can arrange, you can do everything in steelband. He was a great player and a great official.”
Waddell’s funeral seemed to be filled with panmen and women, who had known Waddell since the 1950s. Panmen like Peter Aleong and Brian Serrette attended to pay their respects. Waddell was cremated at the St James Crematorium.