The Speightstown Allstars was formed during lockdown by British opera singer and comedian Melinda Hughes.

She was curator of Cobblers Live Festival at Cobblers Cove Hotel for four years, having first come to Barbados to perform at the Holders Festival in 2014.

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Melinda organised many concerts including Hooray for Hollywood, a concert celebrating music in film as part of the Barbados Independent Film Festival in January 2020. 

Violinist Lizzie Ball and Melinda performed with pianist and Musical Director David Shenton from New York alongside local musicians Petra Welch on drums and David Haynes on bass guitar. 

 

During lockdown, Melinda answered the government call to contribute culturally during the lockdown. 

Melinda contacted a small selection of musicians she had either met or worked with on island and put together a cover version of the famous Merrymen calypso Beautiful Barbados. It received huge support across Barbados and abroad from many in lockdown and missing Barbados.