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Mohammed who, at the age of 22, became the youngest arranger in Trinidad and Tobago to win a Panorama title with the San Fernando-based band Guinness Cavaliers, said that God had touched his life in such a powerful way that he was able to claw his way from the from the brink of personal despair to one of hope for himself, his family and his country.
Lennox "Bobby" Mohammed who believes that music and God are in his blood and soul, began playing and arranging for the Guinness Gondoliers in 1960. There was a split in the band and Cavaliers was formed in 1961. Guinness chose to sponsor the Cavaliers Band after it defeated Gondoliers in an open air competition for sponsorship. Bobby's father Hilton Zainool Mohammed, a school principal, had managed both the Gondoliers and Cavaliers. The music icon was subsequently appointed leader and arranger of Cavaliers due to his musical ability from very young playing the piano, guitar and later the steelpan. His brothers Selwyn and Lester also played with Cavaliers which changed an era in steelband music in the 1960s, due mainly to Bobby Mohammed's innovations in arranging. In 1965, Guinness Cavaliers went on to become the first steelband in the South to be crowned National Panorama champion. The band repeated the feat in 1967 after finishing second in 1966.
The young arranger introduced the change of the major to the minor key. The Cavaliers introduced big band sound and used a unique style and approach which many bands particularly from the South, emulated. Bobby Mohammed was also one of the first steelband leaders and arrangers to ever compose a classical piece for the steelband in the music festival of 1967, doing "The Revelation from Beyond". Mohammed innovated with tassa music in 1972 and so became the first steelband arranger to introduce tassa to the steelband world.
Apart from arranging for the Gondoliers and the Cavaliers, Lennox Bobby Mohammed also arranged for the National Steelband of Trinidad and Tobago (1961 - 1972), Ramoutarsingh Olympians Steel Orchestra (1975 - 1978) and Moruga Sun Valley(1993). Mohammed, who was born at Siparia Old Road before moving to San Fernando, attended Siparia Road CM School, Mon Repos R.C. and Presentation College where he became well-known for his musical ability playing the piano and guitar. He was honoured with the Humming Bird Medal Gold in 1992 for his sterling contribution to the Development and Shaping of the destiny of the steelpan. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in New York for the Sunshine Award and is also the holder of the Carifta Award.
Mohammed continues to play and teach his music at many Churches. Balramsingh told the small gathering that "Bobby" Mohammed was a true and selfish patriot who wanted to ensure that many young people became interested in our National Instrument. "And he is succeeding by leaps and bounds," the CBTT president stated.
The former pan arranger also said that he would like to dedicate his Republic Day Award to his late father Hilton Zainool Mohammed, his late mother Enid, brothers Selwyn and Lester who both played for the Guinness Cavaliers, as well as his sister Lynette and his grandparents, all of whom supported his love for the steelpan. Lennox Mohammed pointed out that he was very proud to be part of the rise of the steelpan "which is not only our National Instrument but is today recognised all over the world."
In his contribution, he described himself as an innovator and trendsetter in that he was the first person of East Indian descent to succeed at the highest level as a steelpan arranger. He stated that in his days, steelbands were dominated mainly by Afro-Trinidadians from Port-of-Spain, so it was a surprise and shock to many when his relatively unknown South band- the Guinness Cavaliers -won the Panorama title in the 1960s. He made special mention of two Cavaliers members Zaid "Tosca" Mohammed known as "Tonky Boy" and Terry Lakatoo, both of whom have always kept in touch with him. He also praised all the other Cavaliers members for their loyalty to him.
See more in the Republic Day Award Page
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