Singapore 60's Brief Pop Music History (1) Mike Bangar

I am very grateful to Michael Bangar (right) a professional rhythm guitarist who currently plays and sings with many pop bands in Singapore. He volunteered to write a brief 5 part series about our local music, which was very much influenced by music from the West. It is written for the benefit of young people who are not familiar with our pop 60's scene.

Thank you Michael.

Part One 
Singapore 60's Music and Overseas Influence:

In the wake of the recent demise of many of the great artistes, I would like to pay homage to our local music stars who are no long with us.

A teenager in the early 60's and still a student, I was a very keen fan of the Singapore bands and solo artistes of our own music scene. I listened and appreciated the pre-rock and roll era with performers like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, Patti Page and others.

Kon Tiki (1961) by: The Jumping Jewels Video by: Whatzupduck. Thank You.

Even early country and western stars like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Hank Williams, Left Frizzell, Patsy Cline, Lynn Anderson (video) and a whole lot of other cowpokes.

Then rock and roll exploded on the scene with the likes of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, (all Afro-American artistes). There's Pat Boone, Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent and others. Leading the pack was this kid from Tupelo Memphis who was later bestowed the title, the King of Rock and Roll. 

Pop singers Patti Page, Patsy Cline, Lynn Anderson, Bo Diddley, Pat Boone, Gene Vincent. They were music influence from the fifties and early sixties.

All this new music had a tremendous effect on the rest of the world including Singapore, especially across the Atlantic in Great Britain. It influenced this surge of the great British Invasion of bands and artistes.  

 Headed by The Beatles, all the 60's band came rockin' along: The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Gerry and The Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Kinks, Herman's Hermit (Peter Noone) and many, many others.

The British Invasion: Pop vocal groups and instrumental groups, Searchers, Kinks, Gerry n Pacemakers, Cliff Richard (singer), Shadows, Jumping Jewels.

They all took American rock and roll to a whole new level. But prior to this invasion phenomena, one Cliff Richard and his back band, The Shadows was rocking the rest of the world. Somehow though, they did not make it big in the US, in fact they didn't make it at all in Yankee Doodle land).

They were the largest influence on the early Singapore bands. Also an early influence, Johnny Lion and His Jumping Jewels and to some extent The Ventures with their brand of guitar-based instrumentals. Similarly, independent of the singers, The Shadows and Jumping Jewels were also guitar instrumentalists par excellence.

There are 4 more parts to this short music history about Singapore 60's. Check them out soon.

Read Part 2. Click below: 
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2017/07/singapore-70s-brief-music-history-2.html

Cliff Richard n Shadows with Gee Whiz It's You Video from: rockabillie.

Images: Google.
Video: You Tube: Whatzupduck.