Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Tony Castillo, Jazz Trumpeter, Actor


Child Actor:

He hit the headlines when he was 10 years old, playing in a Malay movie, Anak Ku Sazali, with P. Ramlee in 1956. Tony Castillo had passed on at 64 (December 2010).

Orchard Road Circuit:

A full-time musician, he was a jazz trumpeter and made a name for himself in the late 60's, 70's and 80's, playing at clubs in the Orchard Road circuit.

Louis Armstrong, famed trumpeter and jazz daddy, called him Boy Satchmo and "arranged to have him perform at the Ed Sullivan show in the US".

Other Countries:

In later years, he had performed internationally, like Australia, Europe and the U.S.

For more information read: http://www.singaporejazz.com/news/show/171/

Image: Copyright Reserved.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was surprised at the amount of inaccurate information the press of Singapore has been reporting – as facts – since the passing of Singapore’s Wonder Boy, Mr Tony Castillo.

Please note that the following information are factual; most was divulged by Mr Castillo himself when he still was with us.

Antonio Castillo (pronounced Cas-tea-yo), popularly known as Tony Castillo, was born on 13 July 1946. After his conversion to Islam, he changed his name to Castillo Muhammad Nur Abdallah @ Castillo Antonio. He succumbed to liver cancer, and passed away on the afternoon of 13 December 2010. His burial took place on 15 December 2010.

Mr Castillo is survived by 3 daughters and 1 son.

Mr Castillo's first marriage was to United States citizen Miss Renee (dearly departed), with whom he has a daughter, Dawn Castillo, who still resides in America. They subsequently divorced.

Mr Castillo's second marriage was to Singapore citizen Miss Zainaba Kutty – whom he wed by means of a customary Muslim marriage only – with whom he has two daughters, Latisha Castillo and Anissa Castillo.

Mr Castillo and Miss Zainaba subsequently divorced under Muslim law by the pronouncement of “Talaq” (which means “I divorce you”).

It has been reported that Mr Castillo and Miss Zainaba also have a daughter named Miss Nora. This is incorrect. Miss Nora is Miss Zainaba’s daughter from Miss Zainaba’s first marriage.

Mr Castillo and his life partner, Philippine citizen Miss Richelle, celebrated the birth of his youngest child and only son, Antonio Castillo Junior, in March 2010. It is not yet known if the two had wed.

Journalists in Singapore need to place more emphasis on fact-checking before any article goes to print.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you very much sir for your comment and insight on the late Castillo Muhammad Nur Abdallah.

This blog highlights singers and musicians and tries to concentrate on their music recordings and performances on stage but leave out personal history.

Since you have volunteered to provide the information, I have printed it verbatim but it would have been great if you had included your name.

Once again, thanks for the information.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

I have also deleted the part about Mr. Castillo's children and invite blog surfers to read your Comment.

This blog is personal and my interest is to write about Singapore artistes of the 50s, 6os and 70s.

I am not a journalist but try to gather information from whatever source I can, whether personal or otherwise.

I wish more readers will write to this blog to provide information, insight and their feelings about our artistes.

I had wanted many times to close shop but my love to learn about our musician friends of the 60s has kept me going.

Your Comment will keep me going.

singaporejazz.com said...

Taken from SingaporeJazz.com:

Dawnssong4u wrote on Wed 29 Dec 2010, 03:27:

Reply I am Antonio "Tony" Castillo's first born daughter Kristen Dawn Castillo and I am reading your article and wondering...

My sister's (half because we have different mother's) Tisha and Anissa are included but not me or Nora and our little brother "Tony" Castillo Jr. who was born this past year.

I miss my father very much and spent time over there in Singapore where my aunt and uncle & my step mum Zainub and my sisters: Nora and Anissa still live.

I spent a year over there in 1982-1983. It hurt very much that I wasn't mentioned with my father. He also has a soon to be 23 year old grandaughter: Heaven and a 19 year old grandson: Alex. they are on my website (www.myspace.com/dawnssong4u) along with pictures of ALL OF US including: me and my father and mother and sisters! AND I AM currently #4 on myspace charts SO MY / OUR FATHER and HIS MUSIC and LEGEND LIVE ON!! ...

My mother Renee Lea Southern met and married my father in Palm Springs, California when he was on an international tour. My mother was opening for the Monkees at the time. They both loved music and wrote, sang and even recorded together.

My mother passed Feb. 1st 1996. SO now both my Father and Mother are gone.. they live on in song.. and in their ALL their children and grandchildren who all play and sing.

PLEASE ALSO I wondered why my father's song: "Christmas Day in Singapore" was NOT mentioned either..

My Aunti Rosita lives in Singapore and so Does my Uncle Louis Castillo. WE ARE all a very close family.. miles do NOT keep us apart!

My Father! OUR Father Tony was an amazing man a wonderful father and an amazing genius of a muscian!

I have a paper clipping of him when he was 8 years old and he was dubbed "SINGAPORE'S Wonderboy" was upset that the Singapore papers did not PAY HIM PROPER respects! TONY CASTILLO was / is a LEGEND! as a muscian and as a father!!

Sincerely,
Kristen Dawn Castillo (born Feb 16th 1971 in North Carolina, USA)
daughter of: Antonio "Tony" Castillo and Renee Lea Southern Castillo Mother to: Heaven and Alex Nifong Sister to:
Nora, Tisha, Anissa and Tony jr (Our father is survived by four daughters and a son.)

married names: Nifong, Bigelow.

Mark Roche said...

Your father Tony was sometimes looked after by my mother and grandmother during his childhood. My mothers name is Lalia (Lila) Lauchengco (Née Lila Sani, from her first marriage) and my eldest step-sister Suraini was the female child actor that starred alongside your father in the movie Anak Ku Sazali.

Anonymous said...

I apologize I missed this. I am his daughter born 1971 in North Carolina, USA my mother was Renée, I am Dawn Castillo (Nifong) Bigelow. Dawn Bigelow dawnssong4u @dawnssong4u #dawnssong4u
My best always,
dawn