ULRIC "CHICK McGROOO" SPRINGER - - 1923-2001
PLAY ONE FOR PANMAN 'CHICK McGROOO'
By Peter Ray Blood
Trinidad Guardian
October 20, 2001
Page 26
Ulric "Chick McGrooo" Springer is no more. The 1958 steelband 'pingpong' (solo) champion died in Holland last weekend, victim of an asthma attack.
Born in 1923, Springer, playing for the Charlie Chan steelband, became the first pannist using two sticks to cop the 'ping pong' title, playing "Now is the Hour" and "All through the Night."
Writing about Springer's two-stick achievement in his book, The Trinidad & Tobago Steel Pan: History and Evolution, Dr Fedo Blake stated: "Thus did Chick Springer steal a march on his fellow competitors achieving, some say, twice the dexterity and musicality of the nearest rival, to ride off with the highly desirable prize of a gleaming new Humber bicycle."
Charlie Chan steelband subsequently changed its name to Hells-a-Popping, and was later known as Katzenjammer Kids.
Remembering her brother fondly, Springer's sister, Beryl, recalls that Springer played with a number of famed musicians, including Ralph Davies, Felix Roach, Martin Albino and the late Scofield Pilgrim.
Beryl Springer claims that her brother, while a member of Katzenjammers, created two pan instruments, the "Boodoop" and "Foule."
Asked how Springer got his nickname, Beryl explained: "Rolly Blackman named him 'Chicken' as a child. As he grew older, friends started calling him 'Chick' for short."
She adds: "A Mr Barnett, an American who was married to a Trinidadian and lived on Gatacre Street, was responsible for the rest of the nickname. Chick used to tune pans at home, using the piano as a guide, rather than doing the tuning randomly like the other guys were doing at that time.
"In 1945, Mr Barnett offered to paint a 22-inch pan for Chick. He painted the pan in red, white and blue, with the inside painted royal blue. Barnett then printed 'Chick McGroooooo', with a lot of o's, on the surface of the pan.
"When Chick performed publicly with the instrument, the audience saw the name printed on it, and he was known by that name ever since."
Reminiscing about the ping pong final Springer won, his sister said: "Chick beat some good guys that night, like Ellie (Mannette) and Spree (Simon) in that '45 competition, at the Boxing Stadium in the Savannah, east of Mucurapo Cemetery.
"I could still remember that the bicycle he won was painted green, with gold stripes. Chick's friends from the neighbourhood knew he would win the competition so they brought down their pans and we jumped from Mucurapo to home that night."
Prior to going to Britain to perform with Ralph Davies at the 1965 Commonwealth Arts Festival, Springer played drums at the Hilton Hotel. He never returned home, opting to remain in London to perform there and tour Europe extensively.
Springer's sister said her brother was an asthmatic and recently started complaining about his breathing.
She said: "He spent a week in hospital and was discharged. On Sunday night, I had a heavy feeling. I just couldn't sleep, so I said my prayers and went to sleep. Then I was awakened by a dream of Chick. I asked God, that despite His will being done, that Chick and I could see each other before either one of us died.
"Chick wasn't married but had children. He lived alone in Holland."
One of Springer's offspring is popular Phase II Pan Groove pannist Selwyn 'Mini Eyes' Springer.
Ulric 'Chick McGrooo' Springer will be buried in Amsterdam on Monday. His sister said: "I have been promised that the music from home will be played at the funeral, and that he will have plenty flowers as Chick loved flowers."
A memorial service is also scheduled for Monday afternoon, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain at 4 pm.
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Sonny Roach Was First
Express
October 23, 2001
Page 13
THE EDITOR: On page 3 of Friday's Express (October 19), "Pan pioneer dies in Netherlands", Selwyn Springer stated that Aulbric "Chic Magroo" Springer was the first man to play the steelpan with two sticks, a feat that won him first place in the first islandwide competition in 1946.
This is not true, the man who won that competition, which was held on September 15, 1946, was Sonny Roach, the captain of Sun Valley Steelband.
Sonny Roach's band also won the islandwide competition that same night.
This competition was staged by Mr Renee Phillip, who was from Belmont.
H Darway
Early panman
Invaders / Crossroads