Sham Rampersad

The legendary Sham Rampersad stands among the most gifted and versatile musicians to emerge from Trinidad and Tobago. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, he is the son of Shri Lal Rampersad and Sonia Rampersad. He grew up in a musically rich household as the sixth of eight children in a family where music was both a passion and a way of life. Several of his siblings were also musically inclined, including his sister Lakshmi (Latchmi), an accomplished singer, his brother Leon Rampersad, a very popular singer and musician, and his brother Arjun Rampersad, an outstanding instrumentalist. Sham attended Calvary R.C. School in Belmont, Port of Spain, but his true education in music began at home. His father, Shri Lal Rampersad, was the leader of the well-known Sitara Hind Orchestra and ensured that music was constantly present in the household. At the age of five, Sham received his first instrument when his father bought him a dholak. Soon afterward, through the well-known musician Chook Cham, Shri Lal Rampersad imported musical equipment from Germany for his orchestra, including a drum set, amplifiers, and other instruments. Hidden inside the drum set case was a surprise that would change the course of Sham’s musical life, a mandolin that had been included as a gift.

The mandolin was hung on a nail on the wall of the family home. At about seven years old, young Sham bravely took it down and approached the band’s mandolin player, asking him to show him how to tune the instrument and demonstrate how it was played. Carefully observing every detail, Sham absorbed the information quickly and began teaching himself to play the mandolin using music books and other learning materials. This moment marked the beginning of a lifelong journey of musical mastery. Sham’s father frequently took him to concerts featuring great artistes visiting Trinidad from India, experiences that became a major source of inspiration. Equipped with binoculars purchased by his father, he closely observed the performers on stage, studying their techniques and musical expressions. One of the most memorable concerts he attended was the historic 1964 performance by the legendary singer Hemant Kumar in Trinidad. On that occasion, Sham was captivated by the extraordinary mandolin playing of Mahinder Bhavsar of India, whose style greatly influenced his own musical development. In later years, this gifted musician would become an instrumental force within the Sitara Hind Orchestra, contributing significantly to their success in winning the Prime Minister’s Trophy in the 1970s among many competing orchestras. He was also honored to be part of the Band that performed for Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during her visit, further highlighting his remarkable musical journey.

Having largely mastered the mandolin through self-study, Sham went on to learn and perform on numerous other instruments including the harmonium, accordion, bulbul tarang, dholak, tabla and many more. His natural musical intelligence and dedication allowed him to move effortlessly between instruments, making him one of the most versatile musicians of his generation. In 1974 he performed with renowned musician Andre Tanker on the soundtrack of the classic Trinidadian film Bim. His older brother Leon Rampersad remained one of his greatest inspirations. During these early years he performed with the Sitara Hind Orchestra alongside musicians such as Leon Rampersad, Kamal Ramcharan, Leela Singh, Lakshmi Rampersad, Dev Bansraj Ramkissoon, Arjun Rampersad, Soogrim Ram and Rampersad Singh, among others. Over time Sham developed a strong reputation as both a master musician and a gifted music arranger. He provided musical accompaniment for the legendary playback singer C.H. Atma in his earlier years in Trinidad, and he later accompanied two of the world’s most respected Bhajan singers, Shri Anup Jalota and the renowned Hari Om Sharan, during performances in New York. While abroad he also formed one of the early brass and calypso bands in New York known as T&T Super Sounds, during which time he worked with noted music promoter Rohit Jagessar.

Sham’s talents were also widely sought in recording studios where he served as music arranger and instrumentalist on numerous vinyl LP productions for artistes including Sookdeo Sookraj, Haniff Mohammed, Hari Om Sharan, Solo Girdharrie, Sam Boodram, Polly Sookraj, Rajdai Sookraj and Sagar Sookraj among many others. Throughout his distinguished career he has performed alongside celebrated artistes such as Enoch Daniels, Maestro Harry Mahabir, Harold Boodoo, Ustad Jhagroo Qawal, Karamchand Maharaj, Lalchand “Rafi” Singh, Mayodeen Ackbarali, Rajkumar (Krishna) Persad, Polly Sookraj, Sagar Sookraj and Rajdai Sookraj, among many other respected performers. Over the years Sham Rampersad has also devoted much of his time to teaching music, mentoring numerous students and sharing his knowledge often for little or no financial reward. His musical journey has taken him across the Caribbean and beyond, performing in Venezuela, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Suriname, Jamaica, Canada and the United States where audiences have been consistently captivated by his versatility and enchanting music.

Recognized as one of the most talented arrangers and musicians to come from Trinidad and Tobago, Sham Rampersad has built a remarkable legacy through decades of performances, mentorship and artistic excellence. Behind his successful career stands his devoted wife Beverly (Pancham) Rampersad, herself a talented artiste, whose support has played an important role in his musical journey.

“Do you have a special memory captured on film or audio? Please email any photos, videos, or audio recordings you may have to hindisongstt@gmail.com. We are looking to preserve the many beautiful moments shared with the multi-talented and versatile Musician Sham Rampersad.”(Copyright Pandit Ashram Sharma 2026).