Born and raised in Deighton Road, St. Michael, Barbados, Ricardo “Ricky” Durant’s educational, career, musical and philanthropic accomplishments have spanned well over sixty years. The oldest of four sons, Ricky was born in 1949 to his parents Oscar and Marjorie (Durant) Yarde. Ricky draws his musical inspiration from his mother, Marjorie, and recalls fondly her annual gifts of a harmonica and a mini xylophone. It was his Godfather, Mr. Fonnie Wayson, who gave Ricky his first guitar, and taught him the basics. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Frank West, a Longshoreman at sea with Ricky’s father Oscar, gave Ricky his first bass guitar, which set him on a lifetime path to musical appreciation.
Ricky was educated at Bay Primary Elementary School, St. Michael Parish. At the early age of 13, he was tapped by Nowell Taylor to play Bass guitar for the up-and-coming Teenage College Thrillers, a local band of young men from the neighborhood, whose band members went to school together at Bay Primary. The consummate disciplinarian, Mr. Taylor pulled the band together in an effort to keep the young men engaged in making music, instead of liming without a purpose. The Teenage College Thrillers (TCT) were well known around the island as the band that played some of the most constructive ballroom style music during that time.
RICARDO AND MARCIA DURANT
