Mac and Katie Kissoon: Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

Being that it is February 1 and in the States it is Black History month, I have decided to dedicate the entire month of February to African American and African Caribbean artists. In some cases while bands may be racially or ethnically diverse, inclusion will be based on the primary band member being of African descent. An example would be the Jimi Hendrix Experience where the band was 2/3 white; however, the principal member was Jimi Hendrix – an African American.

I have spent a few hours planning this month and I hope it will be enjoyable, entertaining, and educational to all of my visitors. We’ll together explore the contributions of these artists to the musical world in which we all live. Throughout the next 29 days, we will concentrate on a variety of styles – rhythm and blues, blues, jazz, pop, and gospel to name a few.

To kick off this month long celebration, I turn to a brother and sister Afro-Caribbean act who had a one-hit wonder with “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep.” Born in Trinidad as Gerald and Katherine Farthing, Mac and Katie Kissoon, the duo burst on the music scene in 1971 with their cover of Lally Stott’s composition - a song that was a number 1 record in the UK for the Scottish act Middle of the Road.

Although Mac and Katie had only one Top 40 hit in the US, they had several hits in the UK and the Netherlands. “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” peaked at #20 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Although the duo has worked together sporadically since the 70s, Katie Kissoon has worked as a backing vocalist for the likes of Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, George Harrison, and the Pet Shop Boys.