1. An illegitimate child, Roaring Lion spent some of his earliest years in two orphanages, before being taken in, following his mother's illness, by an elderly woman named Miss Charles who lived on Coffee Street in the southwestern city of San Fernando.
Roaring Lion championed orphanages throughout his career, with songs such as 1940s "Orphan home", for example.
Roaring Lion later met his biological father, who told him that his name, Cairi, was another name for Trinidad, and that "Llama" is a sort of goat or deer from South America.
From a young age, Roaring Lion became known for his skill in creating calypsos.
Roaring Lion recorded extensively between the 1930s and 1950s, and was one of the calypsonians who deserves the most credit for the increasing international popularity of the genre during this period.
Roaring Lion was the only calypsonian vocalist of his generation who could read and write musical notation.
On that trip Lion entertained the President of the United States-President Franklin D Roosevelt at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
Roaring Lion achieved fame for his linguistic prowess as much as for his catchy tunes.
Roaring Lion's lyrics, delivered in rapid-fire style, show an impeccable command of the English language, and are replete with witty turns of phrase, humorous metaphors, and clever alliteration and internal rhymes.
Roaring Lion died on 11 July 1999, at the age of 91, in Mt.
Roaring Lion's sons include Ibn Llama de Leon, Ishmael de Leon, Akenathon de Leon, the late Rafael Charles de Leon, Mohondas deLeon, Karelius de Leon, Chris deLeon, and Krishna de Leon.
Roaring Lion's daughters are Victoria Peters, and the late Pamela de Leon-Lewis.
Roaring Lion was formerly married to the late Marie Louise de Leon, of Norway and she was the mother of four of his children.