By Sam Sooppersaud and Radhika Olarte.
On the afternoon of Sunday, April 13th, 2025, if you were passing along Rockaway Boulevard, in proximity of 122nd and 123rd streets, in Richmond Hill, New York, you most definitely may have heard the sounds of a harmonium, a dantal, a dolak, a tabla; and the rhythmic voices of Taan singers. You may have wondered as to where those sonorous sounds were coming from. Well folks, those melodies emanated from the inside of the Royal Empress Palace Ballroom where the Indo Caribbean Federation staged a Gala Night of Music and Taan Singing in memory of the late Guyana songbird, Aunty Evelyn Morgan.
Yes. An appreciative audience of over 250 showed up to enjoy a night of music and songs, in the Taan genre, to “bring to life”, the contribution that Aunty Evelyn made to the culture of Indian Taan singing and music. She performed not only in Guyana (British Guiana), but in Trinidad, Surinam, and the United States. Numerous artists from these countries showed up to add their music and songs to the event in recognition of her lifelong dedication and contribution to the art of Taan singing and Indo music as a whole.
The Indo Caribbean Federation considered it an honor and a privilege to pay this tribute to Aunty Evelyn in such a grand style. She was a LEGEND in the genre of Taan singing. Oh, it was a tribute mixed with reverence and rhythm! An evening of melody and memories. Yes, she is indeed an unforgettable legend. Evelyn Morgan, the Queen of Melody, with a voice that touched the souls. With simplicity and love. Never the one to seek the spotlight. She never needed to glow. To be the spotlight.
In her mind, Aunty Evelyn thought of herself as being just a singer. But she was more than that to her adoring fans. She was a vessel of tradition. A bearer of sacred sounds. A queen of culture. Wherever she performed, whether in her native Guyana or Trinidad, or Surinam, or in the U.S.A, her voice conveyed devotion, pride, and love. Her voice danced across the seas weaving the culture and tradition of the generations. Aunty Evelyn didn’t just sing songs, she lived them! The event was a night to remember her; not with silence, but with songs, and stories; with joy. This is the way she would have wanted it.
Aunty Evelyn’s earthly song came to a close at the ripe age of 94. But Oh, what a symphony she left behind! Her legacy isn’t just remembered. It is felt. Legends never die. They simply change keys and play in the sky. May she rest in eternal melody. She has earned her place among the stars; the brightest one with the sweetest tune.
Aunty Evelyn was born in the lovely and lively # 71 Village in Corentyne, Berbice. She entered into this world with a twinkle in her eyes and melody in her heart. Her paternal parents had been brought from Nepal, in South East Asia as indentured laborers in 1883. They, like the hundreds that came on the same vessel landed at Highbury, on the East Bank of Berbice. The grandfather’s name was Sanman Maharaj. For obvious economic reasons, a practice in those time, he was forced to adopt the name of Joseph Solomon. Her Ajaa and Ajee worked in “plantation Highbury”. A son was born to them in 1901, Evelyn’s father. Her mother, Ethel Madeline was born in 1909. She also was the daughter of indentured laborers.
Aunty Evelyn’s dad, like others in his situation, was a hard-working man. He travelled the hazardous journey to Blairmont Sugar Estste on the West Coast of Berbice, where he worked long hours in the fields as a laborer. But despite his tiredness at night after a hard day’s work, he always finds the time and energy to engage in singing. He was said to “sing his heart out” at nights. He later met with and performed with other Indo-Guianese music legends, Alice Rambali and Baal Gangadar Tilak were his idols. Music was in the family’s blood and as Aunty Evelyn proved later on, the apple did not fall far from the tree. She became a dynamic singer herself.
She was raised in a Christian household, But, following a serious illness in her youth, she embraced Hinduism. She listened to her father’s renditions and emulated him. Her popularity grew, even surpassed that of her father. As the saying goes ” she was born with a melody in her heart”.
It was the practice among the Indo communities to get the daughters married at a very young age. Evelyn entered married life at the tender age. She became a wife at the tender age of 15. She became Mrs. Evelyn Morgan. Her husband was also an Indo Guyanese. Why the surname Morgan? His surname was really Murgan, a Madrasi surname. But like hundreds of other Indo surnames, the colonial masters “englishfied” Murgan to become Morgan. The Morgans loved each other dearly, and together they enjoyed a dynamic relationship. This union did not only seal her love story, but it also made her dive deeper into the soulful rhythms of Hindi music and culture.
Enough now for her earlier life. Now let’s fast forward to the 70’s and 80’s… by this time due to her dedication to her art Aunty Evelyn became a household name; as the undisputed queen of the stage. She was singing songs of all genre: wedding songs, birthday songs, bhajans, and of course, Taan singing. Her musical journey was not confined to stages in Guyana. She toured and performed extensively. He passport must have been bursting with stamps from Trinidad, Guyana, Surinam, where she wowed audiences and won numerous accolades. She was honored by the President of Surinam during one of her many visits. The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha bestowed on her an award for her “keeping alive” the rich culture and tradition of Indo music and songs, a testament to her enduring legacy.
In 1991 Evelyn brought her talents; her symphony to Queens, New York. She became the heartbeat of the Shri Trimurti Bhavan Mandir. She performed at numerous events: jhandi, charitable events, birthday celebrations. She even lent her consoling voice at funerals. For over three decades, she was not only a singer, but a cherished mentor and friend to many. She was the life of every musical event she participated in. Yes, Aunty Evelyn’s life was a journey of resilience, passion, and joy. Her laughter was infectious, her spirit unstoppable. Her music! Timeless!
The Indo Caribbean Federation, through the hard work of its president, Mr. Ralph Tamesh, and its officers and members, could not just sit by and let the memory of a nightingale of songs simply fade into neverland. They had to bring Aunt Evelyn “alive” once again. So on this evening of a million memories and adoration, all stood, not in silence, not with tears streaming down faces, but with sounds of music and joy. Aunty Evelyn wouldn’t want a quiet goodbye. She would want a grand finale. Ralph in his vote of thanks was very appreciative to all the Artistes who participated in the evening tribute that included Priya Singh, Mohammed Jabar, Vanessa Matura, Hemant Somai, Phulmattie Yankarran, Vaani Ramnarian, Dino Budhram, Errol Balkisson, Aaaron Jewansingh, Babloe Shankar and Terry Gajraj.
To sum up this tribute we salute Aunt Evelyn for the laughter, the love, and the legacy she left us. May her voice and songs never fade. May we carry it with us in every note we sing, in every beat we dance, in every memory we hold. She was the voice, the vibe, the legend.
