Justin "Hero" Cassell was a 10-time Montserrat calypso monarch and expert in agriculture.
Family, friends, fans, colleagues and dignitaries celebrated the life of The Right Honourable Justin “Hero” Cassell, O.E., during a poignant homegoing service at the Montserrat Cultural Center on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Cassell, a calypso legend and agricultural expert – among many other ventures – died February 5 in London following a long illness. He was 80 years old.
The three-hour service featured 16 spoken tributes, capped by a lively homage from Hero’s brother, Lorenzo Cassell, who spoke about their love of calypso while growing up and Hero’s penchant for mischief and practical jokes. He also discussed his brother’s immense talent and generosity. Lorenzo Cassell’s tribute was followed by a eulogy from Hero’s six children, who recalled a supportive, caring father with a strong work ethic.
“Growing up, I was sometimes a bit selfish, like, I wish I had more of Dad,” son Sean said. “But then I realized that he served a greater purpose, and he served so many people that I had to share him, because he was a genius and he had so much to offer. I’m not a trust-fund kid, but the path he cleared for me . . . there are places I could go and just say I’m Hero’s son, and doors open for me. That is worth more than money.”
The children of Justin “Hero” Cassell, from left: Dyllon, Ayana, Sean, Renique, David and Donato.
The audience of about 300 included Montserrat Premier Hon. Joseph Farrell and Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne. Also present was Clarence “Oungku” Edwards of Burning Flames. Edwards, who was interviewed by Radio Montserrat before the service, spoke about meeting Hero in 1980 in Montserrat while working with the band Hammah International.
“There was never a dull moment with Hero,” Edwards said. “He was a real funny guy. He was such a clean soul. No bad mind, no envy. And no one could cook like Hero. I actually lived with Hero for seven years. That’s where we did all the mega-hits for Arrow.”
One of those mega-hits was the biggest of all time in soca – Hot Hot Hot, released in late 1982. Hero co-wrote the song, and Edwards played bass, including the classic bass line at the start of the song. Edwards, along with brother Toriano “Onyan” Edwards, was part of the famed University of Soca, a group of musicians who hung out together and collaborated during the halcyon days of Montserrat music in the 1980s.
From left, Honourable Crenston Buffonge, Premier Joseph Farrell and Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne attend the funeral of Justin “Hero” Cassell.
AN INTRIGUING LIFE
Justin Nestor Cassell was born on September 8, 1943. His father, Joseph Cassell, ran a liquor store and grocery. His mother, Veronica, was a former teacher. Justin was the seventh of their nine children.
Hero attended the Montserrat Secondary School, where his calypso talent blossomed during school concerts. In 1962, Hero became Montserrat’s first calypso king, singing Lizzie and Joe, a song about a gossip column in the local newspaper. He would go on to win nine more crowns in Montserrat and also the prestigious Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) title in Dominica in 1986.
At one point during the 1960s, Hero worked for Montserrat Company as an overseer at the lime groves in Richmond Estate and rode a horse named “Tom” as his main mode of transportation.
In the 1980s and ’90s, Hero was the main songwriter for his brother Alphonsus “Arrow” Cassell. He also wrote for many other artists locally, around the region and in the Montserrat diaspora. He was also an agricultural specialist, with extensive training at the Jamaica School of Agriculture and the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. He taught agriculture at a high school in the Bahamas in the mid-1970s, and later at the Montserrat Secondary School.
In 1985, Hero released his biggest hit, Tiny Winey – in collaboration with Jamaican bandleader Byron Lee. In the 1980s, he had a vaunted calypso rivalry with Everton “Reality” Weekes. Between 1980 and 1989, the two won eight of the 10 crowns in Montserrat.
From 2009 to 2019, Hero was events coordinator for St. Patrick’s Week. He also tried his hand at politics, contesting the national elections three times but falling short. In 2020, Hero received the Order of Excellence at the Montserrat National Awards, and two years later, the Montserrat Calypso Finals was renamed in his honor.
Hero’s homegoing service drew hundreds of mourners to the Montserrat Cultural Center.
TOUCHING TRIBUTES
Two moments from the eulogy tugged at heartstrings. Hero’s son Dyllon played a recording of his father’s final song, a gospel called My Heart Is In The Right Place. It concluded with an acapella snippet of an ailing Hero, his voice sounding weak, singing the chorus.
Hero’s eldest son David, the first of the children to speak, presented a candid assessment of his relationship with his father.
“We had our issues like every relationship,” David said. “But one thing that never changed was that I had deep love for my father. Daddy, if you’re listening, I love you and I hope you’re resting in peace. I hope one day – hopefully not too soon – I will see you, and maybe we can make up for lost time.”
Among the others providing tributes were Hero’s good friends Ozie Carty and Reinford “Kulcha Don” Gibbons, who recalled his boisterous personality and early-morning phone calls. One young lady, speaking on behalf of a group of non-nationals, revealed that she has been the hairdresser behind Hero’s trademark braids since 2001. In a powerful video tribute, Hero’s cousin, Brenda Cassell, spoke about the singer’s final months in the UK and how he penned a song for her and exhibited a fiery dedication despite his illness.
“I often teased him about his self-proclaimed I Am A Good Man,” Brenda said in the video. “I said to him, ‘Can a person be a good man and a scamp at the same time?’ Ultimately, we agreed that no one is entirely good or bad, but it’s a mixture that makes us human.”
Hero’s death leaves only three surviving members of the nine Cassell siblings: Mrs. Veronica “Teacher Roni” Walker, Mrs. Camilla Watts and Lorenzo Cassell.
Following the service, the procession headed to the Lookout Public Cemetery, where Hero was interred next to his sister, Inez Cassell-O’Garro. That was followed by a repast back at the Cultural Center followed by a rollicking tribute concert featuring more than a dozen local performers. Hero’s son Dyllon stole the show, performing many of his father’s hits and even displaying some of Hero’s stage antics and mannerisms.
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Hero's calypso crowns
| Year | Songs |
|---|---|
| 1962 | Lizzie & Joe |
| 1965 | Wicked Married Men & Drive Old Man Drive |
| 1971 (UWI) | Hero's Sugar Factory |
| 1972 | Cost of Living & Rum Side |
| 1973 | Back to the Land & Long Time Christmas |
| 1981 | The Flood & Don't Mess Wid Me Country |
| 1983 | String Band Jam & Old Time Sayings |
| 1985 | Who is de Man & Greedy Merchants |
| 1986 (OECS) | Who is de Man & Manifesto |
| 1986 | Body to Body & I'm Underage |
| 1989 | Where de Galvanize & Close Dem Down |
| 2007 | Country Need Prayer & All They Want Is Money |
