Meeting Hubert Sumlin @ Memphis Music Festival

CHAT ON WHATSAPP 

THANKS TO BURTON N MICHAEL FOR THIS CHAT

Michael Bangar:

🎸Good Morning, Burt & Maureen ! You must tell your great story of sharing a taxi cab with Blues Legend Hubert Sumlin (image above) in Chicago. 🎵🎸.

Burton Westerhout:

It was in Memphis after the end of the Music Festival there. We were staying @ Heartbreak Hotel across the street from Graceland, close to Memphis Airport.

The best place to catch a cab was from a downtown hotel. So we did and was asked if we didn't mind sharing the cab.

We said no problem, and Hubert Sumlin gets in, on the way to catch a flight to New Orleans where he had his next gig!

BY the way, the other stars at the festival included Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Etta James, Allman Brothers, Barry White!

Michael Bangar:

Could you elaborate on the festival?

Sometimes I’m right: Hubert Sumlin. Thanks to owner and YouTube.

Burton Westerhout:

The Memphis Music Festival (was in mid-April 2000.  The 2-day Festival is held annually in the park just below the end of Beale Street along the Mississippi River. 

There are acts going on simultaneously at two stages and three tents; music was playing all the time!

I went there a second time in 2003 - Hubert played again; also Jerry Lee Lewis, Derek Trucks, Taj Mahal, Iggy Pop!

There are many such music festivals around the world where TOP stars perform. 

(Above story from Mr. Burton Westerhout, a friend of Michael Bangar. This WhatsApp chat was sent by Michael Bangar.

The famous hotel named after Elvis Presley’s earlier hit in the 1950’s. 

The video below from YouTube is a 90’s original hit by Marc Cohn, ‘Walking  In Memphis’.  Cher and Bruce Springsteen have the own versions. 

Due to copyright constraints, the video may not appear on the smart  phone version of this post.

Images: Google  

Burton Westerhout, who was in the Memphis chat above,  is in the black suit with Michael Bangar far right, a determined and dedicated musician. He’s been supplying me with so many stories about the pop music scene yesterday and today. 

Bah Chang: The Inside Story by James Kwok

Pix below: for lunch or dinner: 

Glutinous Rice with meat, chestnut and other fillings, wrapped in either pandan or bamboo leaves. Some fillings have Cognac, pork belly and garlic, depending. 

The picture above shows the dessert or tea time version, sweet filled with red beans or just dipping it into syrup. Generally known as kee Chang.

“When I was a kid I had kidney problems so  I got sentenced to a completely no-salt diet, thus no bachang for me because of the salted meat in them. I could eat only the yellow alkaline keechang - 'neat' without fillings. So, very bland, no taste at all compared with  what my cousins and neighbours were eating - that was really tantalising and torturing. Only after I was declared free of the kidney problem (in Form 2 - today Sec 1) could I get to go from no salt to low salt then moderate salt. 

James Kwok, who writes as well as he speaks. Thanks James for your BAH CHANG story. A very healthy one!

Now in my my 70s, with a wife (also of Pioneer Generation vintage) who was a hospital nutritionist-dietitian, we are in the very very minimal salt/sugar/fats & oil stage of our lives. And of course the  bahchang in front of me is of the vegetarian kind - fillings made from mock meat conjured out of gluten - not real pork. What a full circle. “

Cheers.

Article by James Kwok.

Thanks very much James.

A Happy Father’s Day 2020 Because You Loved Me

To All Blog Readers: 

Diane Warren wrote this song for a 1996 movie called, Up Close and Personal. It was also to her father as a tribute for his encouragement and became another hit on the pop parade. 

‘Because You Loved Me' is sung by Las Vegas diva Celine Dione and recorded in the same year, 1996. It was huge then. But more than 20 years passed and this song is still being played.

So to all dads, grand dads, whether you have sons or daughters or grand kids, this song is a beauty to remember. And it's for you!

'You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me...'

'Because You Loved Me' Celine Dion: YouTube.

RIP Victor Woo: The Trailers: Tribute From Yeo Toon Joo

UP TO 2,500 VIEWS, 30 COMMENTS

A Tribute to Victor Woo, lead guitarist with The Trailers, Singapore pop 60's band who passed away on Sunday 14th June, 2020. Above picture from Jerry Fernandez. Thanks Jerry.

Condolences to his wife and family. May Victor Rest In Peace.

From Peter Yeo Toon Joo former journalist with the Straits Times Press, Singapore, an extract: 

"Sad news: Eric Tan Hong Joo's and my first pop band's gifted leader and lead guitarist of The Trailers, Victor Woo San Chong, has just died. See today's ST's obituary page (below). 

Hong Joo was bass guitarist and I one of two drummers in the early band. 

Victor was a great musician who played by ear. He was probably the first pop guitarist who could play the entire solo portion of Chet Atkins' famous Guitar Boogie - and learning it all by ear. He mastered it by playing and listening to the old 78rpm record over and over again till the record became white as the grooves wore out.

Eric became a full time musician. Victor, a top computer salesman, became the owner of a successful Business Computer, which he started after leaving NEC Computers, or perhaps he had taken over the Japanese Company. But Victor continued t play his lightning guitar in public with different groups until recently.

Singapore has lost a great musician and pioneer of the four piece pop group - 2 guitars and one drummer."

(With permission from Mr Yeo and Mr Larry Lai.)

Victor Woo is standing at extreme right

Possibly Victor's final performance in 2019 at Pasir Ris for a concert, 'Rollin Good Times'. He is on the extreme right. Picture was provided by Winston Koh. Thanks Winston.

Below was an earlier karaoke version with pictures showing Victor Woo in action on stage with Winston Koh singing the evergreen about the young once. Video is from Rocker Lee. Thanks Rocker.

Below is a photograph provided by Vernon Cornelius. Thanks Vern. It shows Henry Chua, Victor Woo and the late Jap Chong and Reggie Verghese.

This tribute is not the final posting. As more condolences pour in, comments might be placed on this page or under the Comment Page. 

Images: Google, The Straits Times and Private Collections.

History of Hawaiian Music & Dance In Singapore: Researcher: Dr. Eriko Ogihara-Schuck

Dear Andy

Thank you for creating this wonderful blog, "Singapore 60s: Andy's Pop
Music Influence."  As part of a book project on Singapore's creative
reception of American popular culture, I have frequently consulted and
benefited from this most extensive resource on the topic.

Your blog mentions that some of your Silver Strings band mates were pupils of
Singapore's Hawaiian guitarist Harry Martinez. Did you also know him?

Reading books about music, transcribed interviews with Martinez and
newspaper articles, I have learned that he was a pioneer of Hawaiian music
in Singapore, performing and teaching the Hawaiian guitar before World War
II. During the Japanese Occupation he formed a Hawaiian band after being
relocated to Bahau. In the post-war period, he performed Hawaiian music on
a weekly radio program and mesmerized the British Malayan audience.

With special interest in exploring the history of Hawaiian music and dance
in Singapore, my desire is to learn in depth about Martinez, his
work, and everything possible from people who knew him by direct contact
or were his fans. Additionally other Hawaiian guitarists like Barney
Morier, Anthony Danker, Jose Daroya and Benedict De Souza are of
interest. I would appreciate it if you and your readers are able to share
your memories of these musicians.

Dr Eriko Ogihara-Schuck
Lecturer of American Studies
TU Dortmund University, Germany
--

Thank you again for offering to help me out!

Sincerely,
Eriko  

If anyone can help Dr. Eriko with the information she needs, do write to her at 
email address: eriko.ogihara@tu-dortmund.de.

Otherwise, a direct note, with the necessary information under the Comment page, will be appreciated.

Colour Me 60's: Larry Lai & Swee Leong Beaten By Stephen Han

When I messaged Stephen to ask if I could post his interesting story from Facebook he immediately relented. He's been a regular feature on this blog.

Mr and Mrs Stephen Han.

"Keep posting your blogs cause without them 

it’s a little boring during the lockdown."

Thanks again Stephen for your cute little anecdote which many seniors from the 60's could have experienced i.e., the antics of Tan Swee Leong and Larry Lai when they were forever on stage at the Odeon Cinema in town, giving off their best with their comedic chats and flawless spoken English. 

Forward the clock and read what happened in 2002. 

A different venue though.

Stephen Han on stage carried by Vernon and Jay during the show "Colour Me 60's".

The National Heritage Board organized the “Colour Me 60's Show“ at Raffles City Singapore in 2002. This act featured local singers, Jay Shotam  and Vernon Cornelius, radio and TV personalities, Tan Swee Leong and Larry Lai and one half of the famous Blue Diamonds, Riem de Wolfe. Brian Richmond was there too and while he was interviewing Tan Swee Leong, the subject of the “Yes/No contest was brought up.

Five volunteers were called up on stage to try and beat the master, Swee Leong by refraining in a little game to say, “Yes and No” when he posed some questions. 

I happened to be the last one. The first person was floored when he said, “Yes”to the first question posed. The next three contestants did not fare well too.

When it was my turn , I felt excited and a little nervous. I had to psyche myself not to use the forbidden “Yes/No” answer . I did well by not mentioning the banned words for sometime.

As the game carried on after a long while, I was caught saying, “Yes “when Swee Leong asked whether I like my sons. I thought I had lost, but Larry Lai came up and said I had beaten (exceeded) the five-minute mark. I was elated and happy and was able to defeat the master of this “Yes /No “ game😊.

Article and Images: Stephen Han (Copyrights reserved).

Larry Lai (left) and Tan Swee Leong when they were at Rediffusion Singapore in the 1960's as Disc Jockeys and compering shows all over the island. Swee Leong (right) passed away a few years ago.  He was also a very good pianist and a generous friend. 

You can check them out almost everywhere on this blog. Cheers.

The late Riem de Wolfe, young brother of two, The Blue Diamonds, a singing duo from Indonesia and Holland who captured the hearts of Singaporeans with their singing and harmony. Elder brother, Ruud had also passed away.

Connect:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2017/09/riem-de-wolff-blue-diamonds-rip-1943.html

Pretty Blue Eyes, one of my favourites and I performed it on stage a few times with Michael Bangar doing 2nd voice.