Remembering the late Nestor Sullivan aka ‘Solos’ or ‘Sully’
[Eulogy at the funeral of iconic steelband leader, researcher and ambassador, Nestor Sullivan delivered by Andre Moses, his long-time friend and steelband co-conspirator]
Nestor Sullivan
In an original, the pieces of the puzzle may often seem contrasting and fit themselves together in unique ways. Nestor Sullivan was a rebel, a make-it-happen-man, a revolutionary and a ‘limer,’ a man of impatience and patience, a mentor whose example was powerful and inspiring, and yet reflective of his human frailties and his own journey of self-discovery. He was at the same time a leader and a team player, a man whose passion combined, selfish and selfless purpose, with a love that he could only express in his own way. Our brother Nestor was by any definition an original and we are all extremely privileged to have known him.
His sister Gail describes a young Nestor as a bit of a rebel, with a tendency to get into sibling battles, mainly because, he wanted to do what he wanted to do. She recalled their mother Uthilma, in tears when the common entrance results were released and Nestor had passed for St. Mary’s College, because studying was not a priority amongst the things a young Nestor willing and or wanted to do. In time though, his curiosity made studying something that came naturally, but more of that later...
...In his steelband research, names like Carlton ‘Zigilee’ Constantine, Philmore ‘Boots’ Davidson and Sterling Betancourt were just names attached to impactful stories that fascinated a young Nestor still in his twenties. But later on he would meet them in person and came to consider them as his personal friends. That was another thing about Nestor, you could meet him in January and by February/March you had the impression that you and him go way back and not just a mere few months. And so over time, a slew of steelband icons like Bertie Marshal, Bertram ‘Birch’ Kelman, Earl Rodney, Ray Holman, Boogsie Sharpe, Andy Narell and Othello Mollineaux all came to also consider Nestor as their personal friend.
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