Both Richard Stoute and Mark Williams said Sivers, known in the calypso arena as Lord Sivers, made a sterling contribution to the artform here.

Sivers died last night at his home in New Jersey, USA. He was 81.

Two of his most popular songs were Police Is The Nurses Choice and I Love Barbados.

“I had the honour of competing with him in the 1960s down Bridgetown Harbour. I was only 13 years old at the time. Sivers placed second with a song called Police Is The Nurses Choice which he got $50 for. King Dyal won and got $100 and I came third and got $25. That is just to show you that Sivers and I go way back,” Stoute told Barbados TODAY.

“He had a nightclub called the Blue Room in Marhill Street where all the entertainers, including the late Jackie Opel, would assemble. It was like a live wire for the entertainers. Then he moved to the Coconut Grove down Brandons where he worked as the entertainment manager. He conducted a series of shows there for a number of years. He was one of the few calypsonians in the early sixties who would have graced the stage,” Stoute recalled.

He stressed that although Sivers migrated to the United States many years ago, his contribution should never be forgotten.

“He was gone from Barbados for a while but we must always remember what he did. We cannot forget the significant contribution he made. He was one of the builders of the entertainment fraternity here so we still have to respect and remember that.”

Meantime, Williams, a former promoter, remembered Sivers as one who was passionate about music.

“In addition to being a calypsonian he was a seaman too. Having produced Police Is The Nurses Choice, it instantly became a big hit. . . . He will never be forgotten,” Williams said.