Blanche Savage-Brown BLANCHE SAVAGE-BROWN, well known Jamaican mezzo soprano soloist, who died February 20, at the University Hospital, Mona, was buried over the weekend at Dovecot Memorial Park, St. Catherine. The funeral service was held at Christ Church, Vineyard Town. The service was conducted by the rector, Rev. Patrick Cunningham.
In keeping with her request, there was no eulogy, only musical tributes and special comments.
Heading the large congregation was the former Anglican Lord Bishop of Jamaica, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Neville deSouza. Musical selections were given by Mrs. Savage-Brown's colleagues including David Reid, tenor; Pat Gooden, soprano; the Jamaica Military Band; Kingsgate Church and The Salvation Army. Gloria Owen also spoke on behalf of The International Club, of which she was a member.
Mrs. Savage-Brown was a regular singer on ZQI, which was renamed Radio Jamaica and Rediffusion. She also performed regularly at the North Street Congregational Church, downtown Kingston and at church festivals around the island.
In the early 1950s Mrs. Savage-Brown migrated to the United States, where she performed at a number of celebrity concerts and at church functions. She was also a member of the Inter-racial Group Chorus, a popular group in New York. Her repertoire included The Lord Is My Light -- text from Psalm 27, by Frances Allipsen; Fear Not, Ye O Israel by Dudley Buck.
