Friday, November 26, 2010

SONNY BALA - A Well Respected Singapore 60s Pop Musician

Singer-guitarist Sonny Bala was only 53 when he passed on, leaving behind a wife and son. He was a respected figure on the local entertainment scene and his death was a shock to many relatives and friends.

Sonny himself was the 6th of eleven children and the only professional musician in his family. People in the industry who knew him remarked that young musicians cannot play the way he did, "using that nice, simple Hawaiian style, considering he was nearly blind." Others thought that his guitar playing was brilliant and his voice a powerhouse.
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One of his good friends, who played with him in jam sessions at the former Jockey Pub, said that he was an "exceptional musician." The Pub was practically his second home because he had played there for a long time.
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His best years were in the 60s when he composed and recorded his own songs with The Moonglows and accompanied singers like Wilson David, Veronica Young and Tom Reyes. He had numerous appearances on television and performed abroad.
Your Cheating Heart: Sonny Bala and The Moonglows.  Video by 张朝栋

#Sonny Bala and The Moonglows (image - seated), formed in 1967, were among the top Singapore 60s groups and had toured Sabah and Sarawak. Between 1968 and 1970 Bala had entertained American troops in the southern part of war-torn Vietnam.
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Another good friend, a kampong kaki (village mate) from Siglap and former Moonglows member, knew him for 30 years. Tony Castillo (musician and once a child star in Malay movie, 'Anak Ku Sazali') had a group called Village Jazz and Bala played rhythm guitar for them.
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This group played mainly jazz and evergreens for nine months at the Lotus Bar in Changi Meridien Hotel. Tony said that Bala was versatile, quick and knew his music well. He was a quiet man, kept to himself a lot and never rushed into things. Sonny Bala played his last gig with another close friend, Cedric Cork, at the Boulevard Hotel.
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#The Moonglows* comprised: *Sonny Bala (vocals, lead guitar), *Donald Thaver (rhythm guitar), Roslan Ismail (organ), *Teddy Song (bass), Edward Jansen (rhythm guitar), Granville De Silva (bass), *Sanny Ismail - aka Mohd Bin Ismail - (drums).

20 comments:

Lam Chun See said...

Yes I remember the name of this group.

FL said...

During the heyday of the late sixties, I heard Sonny Bala & The Moonglows appeared on TV (RTS years)singing their songs. I think very few people can remember this group. I recall Sonny used to sing those slow numbers, something like C & W styles. Sad to say, he's no longer around.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

That's new Chun See. You must be a little boy then.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes FL. Sonny Bala made an impact because of his voice and presence on the small screen. I can recall his C&W style too.

And very professional too.

Anonymous said...

Steve Finnell to me
show details Nov 25 (4 days ago)

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ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you Steve. I hope you will follow mine too.

Anonymous said...

In his own way Sunny Bala is a legend.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

He is surely. Thanks for visiting.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

SUNNY BALA DIED EXACTLY 32 YEARS AGO TODAY 17TH JANUARY, 1987. STILL REMEMBERED BY MICHAEL BANGAR AND HIS HOST OF FRIENDS AND FANS.

BELOW ARE COMMENTS JUST MADE TODAY

STEPHEN HAN said...

I remember Sunny Bal’s and the Moonglows.They appeared on the black and white tv screen guide often

ALPHONSO SOOSAY (from NAOMI AND THE BOYS) said...

A talent and unique musician of Singapore 🇸🇬. He was also a very good friend and a delightful person in Life.

CEDRIC CORK said...

RIP my old Friend Sunny!

When I met Stephen Francis he was only 16 years old, didn't go into the Army yet, we worked with Sonny Bala at Jockeys Pub!

So that means I've known Stephen for 45 years! In human life that's a Long time !!

And the rest is History!


STEPHEN FRANCIS said...

Wow it’s been 32years already? I played with him at Jockey Pub in 1977, that’s how I met Cedric Cork

IRENE YAP (RECORDING ARTISTE) said...

Thanks for remembering Sonny Bala. We performed together at the Ion Bar/Apollo Hotel in the 70s. At that time, we had Cedric Cork on drums, Reynous Chionh on bass and Aaron See on keyboards.

One of the most requested song for Sonny to sing was, "I can't stop loving you!"

JIMMY APPUDURAI CHUA (ENGLAND, UK) said...

One of the original lover of the blues. We used to talk about the blues.... Very very nice man and what a voice...

FACEBOOK said...

THANKS THAT YOU LIKE THIS POST AND REMEMBER SONNY BALA

Stephen Han
John Cher
Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Alphonso Soosay
Roop Singh
Nyonya Jenny Yeo
Charlie Yap Locomotion
Robert Suriya
Kwandy Yao
Stephen Francis
Tan Ser Kiong

RICHARD PAUL M. said...

I hope vintage SG bands like The Silver Strings etc still active today can include Sonny Bala's "Tropical Night" in their playlist. It was his signature tune which he composed and recorded with The Moonglows.

It was frequently in their club and bar engagement playlist. A lovely sentimental tune which deserved to be remembered and cherished by all SG music fans.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

I shall relay your suggestion to the rest of the band, Richard. Hopefully, they will take it up.
Thank you.

RICHARD PAUL M. said...

Thank you Andy. If they do, hope it would be posted on YouTube so that we can watch it frequently. CHEERS.

KOH SUI PANG said...

hmmmmmmmm yup we love ..😘😘😘😘🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰