Screenshot of Joshua Regrello during his Guinness World Record attempt in December 2024, taken from Wack 90.1 FM‘s YouTube video of the event. Fair use.
Imagine, as a kid, receiving the Guinness Book of World Records every year for Christmas — and then growing up to actually be in it. That's exactly what happened to Trinbagonian steel pan musician Joshua Regrello, whom Guinness recently confirmed as the world record holder for the longest steelpan-playing marathon.
Regrello's performance began at 6:00 a.m. AST (UTC-4) on December 27, 2024, and concluded at 1:00 p.m. the following day for a mind-boggling total of 31 hours, an hour longer than he had originally intended to play for, but the encouragement he got from supporters at the WACK radio station in south Trinidad kept him going.
The steelpan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. For every hour that Regrello played, he was allowed a five-minute break, which he could have accumulated over the duration of the performance. Following Guinness World Record standards, each song he played had to be two minutes or more, and a song could not be repeated within a four-hour period. As such, Regrello’s set list consisted of about 200 songs.
In keeping with its “rigorous verification process,” it took five months for Guinness to do its requisite checks and advise on the acceptance of his attempt; once it came, though, Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin said it “was a win for us all”:
It shows what is possible when talent, hard work, and love for culture unify. He played his heart out for Trinidad and Tobago, and the whole world watched on with awe and excitement. The steelpan started right here, and today, thanks to Joshua’s amazing feat, it continues to make history. The ministry is proud to stand with him and all our creatives who are pushing boundaries and representing us with purpose and pride.
Pan Trinbago, the governing body for the steelpan, also congratulated Regrello on his achievement, saying, “This historic milestone is a win for Joshua, a win for the steelpan, and a win for Trinidad and Tobago — the mecca of steelpan.”
The country's president, Christine Kangaloo, thanked Regrello for “shining a global spotlight on our beloved national instrument,” calling it “a proud moment not only for him and his family, but also for the entire nation”:
It is the result of over two decades of hard work, sacrifice and dedication. As a mentor at The President’s Pan Camp 2024, Joshua demonstrated and championed the very qualities — passion, discipline and commitment to one’s craft — that have brought him to this moment of well-deserved global recognition. His success stands as a shining example and as a source of inspiration for young people across Trinidad and Tobago and the world.
Carla Parris, the intellectual property lawyer who Regrello said “liaised with the Guinness World Records offices in Miami [and] London to ensure that we met the very high standards required in order [for him] to be named an Official Record Holder,” praised his tenacity:
Not only did you demonstrate the sheer grit [and] artistic excellence to play the steelpan for 31 hours, but you stayed the course through the lengthy [and] copious legal process required to land you the Guinness World Record Title […] This feat wasn’t achieved through luck, it was a mindset of commitment to excellence!
Regrello himself was ecstatic over the news. On his Facebook page, he wrote, “IT’S OFFICIAL! 🎖️ I am now a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Title Holder for the Longest Marathon Playing Steelpan / Steel Drums 🙏🏽”:
Months ago, we came together with one mission: to make history through the power of Steelpan and unity. Today, that dream is a global record.
The journey to official recognition was detailed. Every requirement was carefully met and every standard upheld. But one thing mattered most to us, that the word ‘Steelpan,’ our national instrument and our pride, was included in the official record title. That representation means everything, and we have accomplished it.
He thanked all his supporters for their faith in him, “from the early planning to the final note”:
This is more than a personal milestone […]
This is by all of us, for all of us ❤️
