Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Tan Soo Khoon - Former MP & Speaker of the House, Pop Singer

Tan Soo Khoon has the crowd 
mesmerised when he performs.

UP TO 2,100 VIEWS n 40 COMMENTS

Tan Soo Khoon's eyes light up when you talk to him about three subjects, and they all begin with the letter P.  Seriously, he'll chat with you in earnest about Politics. And he's well-versed with the topic. That's the first P.

He is the only person in Singapore who can face the microphone in a large hall and engage himself as a Speaker. With his robe and wig on, he's on higher ground than any Minister. Now that's something because Soo Khoon [SK] used to be an elected  Parliamentarian in Singapore and the Speaker of the House. That's the second P. 

Since this blog is about local music, can you guess his third favourite topic that starts with P ?

Guess it. Because when he appears in front of the microphone this time, he doesn't speak but sing his favourite hits with charm and ease. You've never heard a sexier, ''Uh, huh, huh...'' before. Yes, his body quivers when he sings Elvis and strums his guitar. Presley it is, the third P.

SK is such a busy person so it took me a while to chat with him on WhatsApp getting details about his singing, love for pop music and answering some questions. When he finally relented and had some time to relate his music journey, I thought it most appropriate to post it during National Day - Singaporeans' special day, about a very special person.

And don't skip his story below; he's got two beautiful ladies to accompany him on the keyboard. Find out who they are.

Thanks SK for the first ever love story on this blog about an MP and his music.

 


Chatting with former Speaker Tan Soo Khoon on his music journey:


"We started playing as a band sometime in the mid 1990’s. I  self-taught myself guitar strumming when I was in school but laid it off while in university and when I started working. In the 1970’s a good friend of mine, Noor Quek (who herself is an accomplished singer and keyboardist) would occasionally get together with me to jam, and then that was it. 


We got together again and started playing as a band sometime in the mid 1990’s. The earliest members were my old ACS Primary One classmates. Eric Tiong (drums), Ronnie Teo (lead guitar), Sim Kheng Chin (Bass) and we called ourselves The Young Once. 


Over the years, the band has evolved with different musicians including Henry Chua, Franklin Wong, Tony Kwek, David Loh ,Ted Ha,  David Chua, Andrea Teo, Benson Goh, Eunice Olsen, Arthur Lim, Arshad Hamid, Archie Ong. These are all good musicians who have helped us tighten our rendition of many songs.

 

I want to add that we all get together just for the fun of it. Our love of music is the bond that keeps us together and strengthens our friendship over the years.



The first time we played together as a band was at a charity event at the Ritz Carlton some time in 1998. We  play at charity events and some of the venues we have played at include hotels like The Mandarin, Shangrila, Hilton, Marriott, Concord, Orchard, Regent and The Four Seasons as well as the Esplanade Recital Studio.


Beside Elvis, being my favourite singer, I enjoy the music and songs of Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Ricky Nelson, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Trini Lopez, Glen Campbell, Beach Boys, Everly Brothers, The Drifters, The Platters, Tony Orlando & Dawn,  John Fogerty & CCR, The Eagles,  Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride, Anne Murray.''


When I asked SK if he had attended concerts of international pop stars, he replied that he had seen some of them. With much persuasion he mentioned, Cliff Richard & The Shadows , The Blue Diamonds, Anneke Gronloh, Helen Shapiro, The Drifters, The Platters,  The Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Tony Orlando, Engelbert Humperdinck, Michael Jackson, Skeeter Davis, Pat Boone, Frances Yip, were some of those he had seen perform ‘live’ [some images below].   

''Oh, I left out Paul Anka among the artistes and enjoyed listening to him too. Then there's Tom Jones and the Righteous Brothers. I always wanted to see Elvis perform . I would have loved to go to Hawaii or Las Vegas to see his concerts but in those days,  I didn’t have the money to fly that far!'' 
Live Concerts that Soo Khoon had attended 
Skeeter Davis, Engelbert Humperdinck, 
Anneke Gronloh, Michael Jackson

Soo Khoon has become so well-known among the pop stars mentioned, he has even appeared as a duet with the late Riem De Wolff [images below], younger brother of Rudy, both known as the Blue Diamonds, international stars from Holland/Indonesia.


I mentioned that former DPM Tharman wrote an article about why he likes Shirley Nair’s singing, so I asked his opinion about our Singapore band boys and girls from our Golden Age of music in the 60s.


''We have good local bands and musicians that I enjoy watching over the years, The Quests, Andy and The Silver Strings, Veronica Young, Vernon Cornelius, October Cherries, Zul Sutan & Tania, The Checkmates, The Dukes, The Mysterians, The Thunderbirds, Matthew and The Mandarins, The Tornados, Stephen Francis, Danny Koh, Jeremy Monterio, Tony, Spencer and Terry are some of the great local entertainers I have watched over the years. Many of them are still rocking away!''


And that's true with SK also. He used to, ''shake the House in Parliament'' with his fiery speeches.  Now he shakes, rattles and rolls at the places where he performs and sings Elvis or other pop hits.


There's  much more to learn about Soo Khoon and his music, the guitars he uses, the fully-equipped sound studio at his home and what he does for charities. But that's another tale to tell.


Thanks SK for sharing a part of your life with us.


Read the comments below. Do write in to provide yours too.


A Happy National Day 2021 to everyone. 


[Article and images belong to Tan Soo Khoon; Google.]


 
Singing as a duet with the late 
Riem de Wolff [Blue Diamonds] 
at local charities and performances.

40 comments:

Cedric Collars said...

Wow from speaker to singer. Well done SK keep the music coming and the best of the old time hits.

KOH SUI PANG - KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA said...

Rocker MP...
Ooooh we want more pop songs MP...

CLARENCE PERERA [EX-DUKES DRUMMER] said...

The last I heard him sing was a BEATLES song.
It was at the Marina open Galaxy.
Anita Sarawak was also singing.
And the Guest of Honour was George Yeo Foreign Minister.

Never had a chance to do music with him.

CHOW WEN HING [SINGER/COMPOSER] said...

What Mr Tan Soo Khoon has shown us is that we must live life to the fullest. From presiding over a parliamentary session in a house of legislators and MPs, to stirring up the passion and dance fever of an adoring audience; a man’s work is never done!

Whatever your age and whatever you do; make time to follow your dream, nurture your hidden talents and live life with a passion!

Rock on Mr Speaker Sir!!
👍😀

JIMMY APPUDURAI-CHUA - ENGLAND said...

Way to go.

OLIVER BALASHINGAM [SCHOOL PRINCIPAL/DRUMMER] said...

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE
ARE THE PEOPLE WE LOVE
THE PLACES WE'VE BEEN
AND THE MEMORIES WE'VE MADE
ALONG THE WAY...

TAN SOO KHOON [MP/SINGER/WRITER OF THIS POST said...

Thanks you for the memories, ANDY.

TAN TEE PENG [GUITARIST] said...

I know Soo Khoon.
Been to his house during Chinese New Year a few times.

He is a nice guy and very friendly.
I know he likes songs by Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley.

CEDRIC COLLARS - WRITER/MUSICIAN/PERTH AUSTRALIA said...

Yes Andy,

I met Mr Tan Soo Khoon personally when he was the MP for Alexander.
He presented me with an award for writing the Mei Chin Secondary School song on 17 March, 1977. I still have a copy of the school magazine from that particular day.
I managed to get it from the internet.

I have lost the pewter award during our move from SG.
Good memories for sure.

JERRY FERNANDEZ [MC, VOCALIST FROM 'NEU FACES'] said...

SOO KHOON [former speaker of Parliament]...
He loves music - if not mistaken, selections from the late Elvis.
Good man indeed.

FACEBOOK said...

REACTIONS FROM

ROOP SINGH [WITH CHARITY]
MOODY CASH [IN AWE]

VICTOR LAM [DRUMMER 'THE MYSTERIANS'] said...

👍 👍 👍

CHAKAP CHAKAP said...

Mr TAN SOO KHOON was a member of the ruling party, the People's Action Party. He was first elected in 1976, and stepped down in April 2006.

Then 27, he is the youngest person ever to be elected to the Parliament of Singapore.

He held the Office of Deputy Speaker from 1985 to 1989, and was the Speaker of Parliament from 1989 to 2002.

In Kuo Chuan constituency, where he learned about the needs of the working-class of Singapore society. It is his strong desire for social equality and improving the lives of the less fortunate

He is remembered for his fairness to both sides of the floor of the house, allowing members of both the ruling party and the opposition to speak their minds.

He is also remembered for his sense of humor, for his notes to fellow MPs would be signed off "The Watchman", a take on his private business, and his role as Speaker.

In April 2002, when he stepped down as Speaker after 13 years, Tan immediately made it known that as a backbencher, with his brutal honesty and openness, he could still "shake the House".

Many of his speeches provided witty, pointed, even scathing, remarks about certain government policies and expenditures, such as the extravagance of certain public buildings and the rising cost of public transportation.

In a tribute by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on April 15, 2006, he said of Tan, "He makes very good speeches in Parliament. Sometimes, he draws blood... Sometimes he has offended ministers, but he has spoken his mind."

Mr Tan is married and has two daughters.

[Extracts from Wikipedia.]

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Not only did he ''shake the house in Parliament'', he now shakes and rocks the halls of pop music in Singapore where he sings his 60s music hits by Elvis and other famous stars.

Thanks Soo Khoon. Been fun chatting with you.

And to the early folks, friends and readers who read this post to make comments.
THANK YOU.

YANG [NANYANG OPTICAL] said...

Soo Khoon is an old friend.
His office is just opposite of my office.

CHARLIE YAP [LOCOMOTION BAND LEADER] said...

I was a bassist and at times stand-in for Soo Khoon's band performing at many functions, way back in 2007 and beyond. Our regular line-up was ARCHIE ONG, RONNIE TEO, BK NAIR, DAVID CHUA BENSON GOH, WILLIAM SEAH and SOO KHOON.

Great memories.

VINCENT TAN said...

'Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory...'

DR SEUSS

DR A. KHOO [LECTURER] said...

Interesting surprise.

JIMMY CHNG - [DRUMMER - 'DECIBELS' GUITAR GROUP] said...

Wow Andy,
What a nice scoop for your blog.
Nice and interesting contribution from SK.
He can do a mean ACHY BREAKY HEART.

RONNIE SEE [THE BURNS GUITAR GROUP] said...

It's good to see he's having fun.

FREDA HANUM [KEYBOARDIST - TEEPEES] said...

Indeed so wonderful of Mr Tan Soo Koon, encore!
Don't stop singing.
👏👏👏

IRENE YAP [RECORDING ARTISTE] said...

A very nice person, warm, witty, someone who has it all, MP and a wonderful singer/guitarist who has so much passion in music.

ROCK ON SOO KHOON.

JIMMY YAP [SINGING AMBASSADOR] said...

Thanks Andy for writing about TAN SOO KHOON the humble man.
He has always had his presence felt whenever he's on stage.
The last time I saw him singing was at OLPS the church that
Matthew n The Mandarins performed free.
SK and his guest band members certainly got many stomping their feet.

FRED CHING said...

My father-in-law favourite MP.
I remember each time we talked about politics, he’s full of praises for Mr. Tan.
As I speak fluent Teochew with him, our topics sometimes will focus on how Mr Tan managed the fort so well in his ward.
He’s indeed unique and take pride in his work despite his heavy schedule.
Brother Andy, please give our thanks to Mr. Tan for the years of good work.
😊🙏

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Fred, agree with your views about Soo Khoon.
Definitely a sincere person with that touch of class.
Not many like him in today's world.
Thanks.

AND MANY THANKS TO OTHERS WHO HAVE JUST WRITTEN IN TO RESPOND.

FACEBOOK said...

THANKS TO THIS LATEST LIST OF FOLKS WHO LIKE SOO KHOON'S POST

Fred Ching
Jennie Law
Ho Victor
Freda Hanum
Francis Anthony Rozells
Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Jalani Mohamed
Ann Rowena Lim
David Greenfield
Stephen Han
Chow Wen Hing
Ser Kiong Tan
Moody Cash
Irene Yap
Roop Singh

CHARLIE YAP [LOCOMOTION BAND LEADER] said...

Hi Andy,

Our regular line-up in 2007
for Tan Soo Koon's band was...

Archie Ong - Drums
Ronnie Teo - Lead guitar/Vocals
Dr. BK Nair - Rhythm/Vocals
David Chua - Rhythm/Vocals
Benson Goh - Keyboard
Charlie Yap - Bass
William Seah - Vocals
Tan Soo Khoon - Lead vocals

THANKS.

Joey said...

Wow!
Thanks brother Andy for sharing the other side of our 2nd Speaker of Parliament, Mr Tan Soo Koon on Singapore's 56th Birthday.

JOEY KOH said...

Yes, met his wife during CNY celebrations.
He succeeded Yeo Ghim Seng as the speaker!

DANIEL ABIDIN [THE 'DUKES' BAND LEADER] said...

He reminds me of an officer and a gentleman.
A great awesome friend.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, he does actually.
Give him a white admiral's uniform with a dashing white cap.
He reminds me of Richard Gere.
An Officer and A Gentleman.

THANKS TO ALL WHO WROTE IN TO COMMENT
JOEY KOH
CHARLIE YAP
DANIEL ABIDIN.

TAN SOO KHOON [MP/SINGER/WRITER OF THIS POST said...

Dear friends,
Thank you all for the nice comments. I am humbled by your kind words. Apologies to my good friends John Cher and Charlie Yap whom I left out in the list of musicians who have helped me in my music. Also apologies to Mel Ferdinands and Charlie's amazing sister Irene Yap, both of whom I left out amongst the list of local talents I have enjoyed watching and listening to over the years.

WINSTON KOH [SINGER WITH 'THE TRALERS'] said...

Morning Andy,
Yes, I knew him when he was a speaker of Parliament.
Went to his place several times on the second day of Chinese New Year.

TAN SOO KHOON [MP/SINGER/WRITER OF THIS POST said...

Yes, I know Winston who is a great singer.
And of course the late Victor Woo, top class lead guitarist of THE TRAILERS.
Winston is very good with Cliff Richard songs.

STEPHEN HAN said...

I can see Riem de Wolffe.

JIMMY YAP [SINGING AMBASSADOR] said...

Andy,
Was good to write about SOO KHOON and Matthew who played free of charge so old folks can enjoy music to dance the whole night [last week of each month at OLPS CHURCH].

ALFRED WONG - THE YARDLEYS said...

I attended one and it was enjoyable with one and all.

J CHEONG said...

He is a very decent and good man.

Richard R. said...

THANKS, a million! ANDY, Those were the days, at TCC... had a whale of a time🙏👍
GOD BLESS ALL... MUSIC WILL GEL ALL

Eccw said...

Wow Andy, what a wonderful article! It's evident you put lots of effort into this piece and it sure paid off beautifully - great story, delightful quotes and amazing photographs. Well done! You're truly a fantastic journalist.