swingin stars
The Swingin’ Stars, Dominica’s oldest band, started in 1959 with a group of school boys under the name ‘Swingin’ Teens’. In 1961, the band was reorganized and the name was changed to Swingin’ Stars – as some of the members were no longer teenagers. By 1966, the Swingin’ Stars Orchestra emerged as one of the top party bands in the Caribbean.
To date The Swingin’ Stars have released twenty three (23) Albums and over 40 singles. The energetic Chester (Daddy Chess) Letang, Phillip Horsford, and Tasha (Tasha P) Peltier leading vocalists with the big Band sound behind them have made their latest albums very popular.
They have been touring North America, since 1971 taking part in the Caribana festival in Toronto and Labor Day festival in New York.
Over the years Swingin’ Stars continues to be a very versatile Band, indeed the leading Dance Band in Dominica supplying a wide range of music including Soca, Calypso, Reggae, Zouk, Compa, Mambo, R. & B., Disco and Ballads and afford entertainment for dances, shows, and concerts. They provide musical accompaniment for most local Calypsonians and Dominican artistes, and have toured with artistes like the Mighty Sparrow, Mighty Arrow, The Baron and Machel Montano. They took part in various World Creole Music Festivals, the largest festival hosted in Dominica. They have performed in many countries including Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Antigua, Tortola, St. Croix, St. Thomas and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean; Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Regina, Edmonton, Vancouver, New York, Boston, Minneapolis, Houston, Miami and Atlanta in North America; England and Germany in Europe And China.
Swingin’ Stars longstanding service and contribution to music in society has not gone unrecognized. They received a Meritorious Service Award in 1980, Golden Drum Award in 1999, Caribbean Sunshine Award in 2004, and many others both local and regional. Various members of the Swingin’ Stars Band have also received recognition awards from Dominica for their service towards music
Currently, The Band comprises Manager – Norman Letang, 2 brass players, Cameron on alto sax, Deighton Voliere on trombone; 3 vocalists – Chester ‘Daddy Chess’ Letang, Phillip Hosford, and Tasha Peltier; 2 keyboard players –Peter Letang (band leader) and Angus ‘Soleil’ Benjamin; Guitarist – Emile Lancelot; Bass – Dave ‘DayDave’ Terrel, Drummer Duane Benjamin and Engineer – Linden Lestrade.