Howard “Stretch” Carr is well known within the Caribbean Canadian diaspora for his work on West Indian Rhythms—the first and longest running Caribbean culture radio program in Montreal, Quebec.

Carr was born in Mandeville, Jamaica, in the Parish of Manchester. At ten years old, after the death of his parents, he relocated to Kingston, Jamaica. During his time in Kingston, Carr gained a passion for music. He lived near musical legends like Sonny Bradshaw and Keith and Enid, which greatly influenced him.

After hearing him sing during soccer training, Carr’s friends suggested that he audition for a band they knew. After a successful audition time in the band, Carr joined Viscount—a popular Jamaican group that included musicians Errol “Bob” Ruglass and Willie Lindo. He recorded and performed as a Viscount member until he immigrated to Quebec, Canada in 1969.

Upon his arrival to Canada, Carr pursued an education—attending Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. Two years later, with a diploma under his belt and a hunger for music, Carr returned to Montreal and joined the band Choral Islanders as a vocalist and MC. He toured with the band for thirteen years, performing in both Canada and the United States until the band’s demise.

Following his band’s disbandment, Carr pursued musical promotion. He began by hosting Montreal’s first Caribbean New Years Eve event in Montreal, which hosted over 1,700 members. Following this success, he went on to bring popular Caribbean artists such as Owen Gray and Mighty Sparrow to perform in Montreal.

Carr’s life changed forever in 1985, when he received a phone call from Susan Elrington, the radio station manager at CKUT. In this phone call, Elrington asked Carr to replace the former host of the Caribbean program West Indian Rhythms. Carr eagerly accepted. Since then, he has been greatly committed to celebrating Caribbean cultures—ensuring that he mirrors the diversity of the diaspora through music, interviews and other programs.