Alfonsus Cassell, the West Indian musician known as “Arrow,” died Sept. 15 at his home in Montserrat after a battle with brain cancer, WINN FM 98.9 reported. He was 60.

The radio station said Cassell was flown to Antigua a week earlier when his condition worsened but was brought back home Monday to Montserrat, where he died, surrounded by his family.


Cassell entered the music field at age 10 when he performed in a concert in high school. He began singing calypso in 1967 and that year won the Junior Monarch title. Two years later, he began singing professionally and quickly made his mark in the world of calypso.

He drew criticism for fusing calypso with other musical genres but his work is credited with bringing the unique West Indian music form to a wider audience.

Hot Hot Hot, from his album of the same name became the biggest selling soca hit of all time and was adopted as the theme song of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.