The Greatest Pop Stars Who Came To Singapore: Johnnie Ray: Part 1.

pix from:

https://genius.com/Johnnie-ray-all-of-me-lyrics 

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Before rock and roll there was John Alvin Ray (1927-1990) American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 50s and 60s, he was one of the major predecessors of the rockabilly craze, in fact, paving the way for Elvis' hyperactive movements on stage. 

Just as popular in Singapore, Johnnie Ray's records, some in the 78rpm format, sold very well on the island. Many local singers in the early 60s imitated Ray and Robert Song was one of them. It was well-known that Johnnie Ray was deaf because of an accident and had affected him emotionally but he was an attraction on stage and sang his songs with much fervor and feel. He had a movie role with Marilyn Monroe too [image below]. He died of liver failure in 1990.

Ray's song, Cry, with The Four Lads, (1951) made him famous as radios became a common household item in Singapore. Then came, All of Me (1952), Hernando's Hideaway, Alexander's Ragtime Band, As Time Goes By, (1954), Just Walkin' in the Rain (1956) - with a whistling introduction and accompaniment, Who's Sorry Now (1956) - more poignant than the Connie Francis version and Yes, Tonight Josephine (1957) - for me, his swan song.

Johnnie Ray in Concert.

YouTube Video by: John1948SevenC

These songs were hits in Singapore and Ray was just as famous in the UK and Australia. Such A Night, recorded in 1954, was also covered by Elvis Presley on his 1960 album, Elvis Is Back. Johnnie Ray was a singing idol in his days and, on a personal list, is placed above Frank Sinatra.

On May 15th, 16th, 17th, 1967 when he was 38 years old, he was in Singapore for a two night concert. He also visited the Singapore Association for the Deaf at Mountbatten Road. He was also interviewed by the press at Hotel Singapura.

Pix from Randy Lee [Stylers rhythmist: 4th left]

copyrights reserved.

There was even a Johnnie Ray of Singapore. Robert Song [image 3rd left], who used to work in one of the more prominent movie businesses here, sang like Ray, performing the popular evergreens on stage. He was accompanied by the famous Stylers and Checkmates during his later years, a unique combination indeed, considering that these bands were guitar groups. But like Song, the Stylers and Checkmates were versatile teams indeed.

Song also played well on percussion instruments like the conga, bongos and maracas, showing off his impeccable style that was the attraction those years, donned immaculately in bow tie and a dark suit. I guess they were tailored to fit, the band and Singapore's Johnnie Ray.

Before Elvis there was Johnnie Ray

Influence/Influencers:

Now, hopefully, some readers can understand why the word Influence is used in the title to this blog. We had so many influences before even today's influencers came on the scene. 

Johnnie Ray acted in this movie

with Marilyn Monroe. The other

stars were top guns those years.

Original article: by Andy Lim. 

Google Images.

Johnny Ray In Concert.

YouTube video: from Johnny Ray.

Best 40 minutes ever to know Johnnie

and his unique antics on stage as he sleeps on the piano

and cries and covers his head with his jacket.

Ray and Marilyn Monroe in the movie

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/279997301812707022/

Read the interesting chat with Irene Hoe, ex-journalist in Singapore when Johnnie Ray ordered food in a restaurant - Click Comments below:

Rex Goh: Singapore to Madison Square Garden, NY

Thanks to friends and readers for support.

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This Blog's 8th Anniversary Special Story about a Singapore guitar hero:

Even before Stephanie Sun and JJ Lin stepped into the limelight and stardust of the international arena, we have a music maker who has made a name for himself beyond our shores way back when in the 1970's.

You must know Air Supply?  Well, let's find out who was the Singapore guitar hero accompanying the Australian group from July 1977.   Here's drummer and this blog's regular contributor John Cher, on this anniversary special posting, to tell us about another of his music buddies.

Rex Goh: While My Guitar Softly Weeps.

YouTube Video: Johnny Spitz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khRZofIRYWU

Rex Goh was the first Singaporean to join the ranks of rock music superstars.  Without a shadow of a doubt,  the best known pop guitarist that Singapore has ever produced. 

  

During secondary school days, my buddy Henry Tay, used to have a band and we played together occasionally.  Rex was playing for Henry's band for a few months.  Of course, he just blew everyone away whenever he played.  Even as a teenage musician, he was head and shoulders above everyone else!  It wasn't long before he graduated to playing commercially. 

One of the first places he played at was;  The Pub, a disco at Hotel Malaysia, later to become Marco Polo Hotel. The band's name was 1 2 3.   Another local guitar hero,  the late Reggie Verghese (lead guitar: The Quests) praised Rex and said that, " he was very good and that his guitar had that certain sound". 

Rex migrated to Australia at aged 21. All for love and for music!  At a point in history when even Bruce Lee had to face racial discrimination it is not hard to imagine the challenges that Rex had to face to break into the music scene in a white man's world.  

But he not only broke into it, he made it to the peak and performed with the best in the  business. In 1973 Rex was voted the best guitarist in South Australia - a title which brought him much deserved recognition.

He auditioned and became the lead guitarist of Air Supply. The group toured the entire length and breath of Australia. But the real big, dream break came when Air Supply toured the U.S. and was the supporting act for Rod Stewart. 

Among other venues, Air Supply played at Madison Square Garden. On opening night, Rex said his legs were shaking.   Playing to a cheering crowd of about 80,000 people. It was a fantasy come true. It really couldn't get bigger than Madison Square Garden. They did 52 concerts in America.

Rex left Air Supply after the tour.  During this time he studied jazz music, five days a week  for two years. But while he studied jazz music, his real  interest was to play pop music.  It wasn't long before  Graham Russell called and invited Rex to rejoin for a second tour. By now Lost in Love was huge in America.  The band was invited to appear on Solid Gold, a premier prime-time music show which was hosted by Dionne Warwick.  

The show was telecast in Singapore, generating a great sense  of pride among musicians and music lovers here. It was truly a  dream realized for a young man. It was everybody's favourite story, about the local boy who made good!  The parallel to this would be Bruce Lee making it big in America with The Green Hornet.

Rex Goh's family used to live in Seletar.  He fondly remembers his mom giving him a ukelele when he was 8 years old.  He enjoyed playing the uke but no one in his wildest imagination would have anticipated the distance he would go. He eventually took to playing rhythm guitar. 

A neighbour and well known local musician, Benny Chan, encouraged him to do so. (Benny used to be with The Checkmates, Richard Ortega and The Ortegas, which played at the Tiara Supper Club at The Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore).   

For two years he just played the rhythm guitar before eventually taking up the lead guitar.  As a young guitarist he was heavily influenced by Hank Marvin followed by Eric Clapton. Two great guitarists with totally different styles of playing.  

Besides Air Supply, Rex has played for Glen Campbell, Savage Garden, Tom Jones, The Supremes, Randy Crawford, Temptations, Soul Decision, Eurogliders, Renee Geyer, Tommy Emmanuel and  Wes Carr. The list goes on.

The last time Rex was in Singapore was in April 2015.  He performed at  D'Marquee, Downtown East with his old band The Flybaits.  Rex's brother, Steven, a guitarist as well, used to have a band in Singapore known as The Formations.

Rex Goh is still living his Rock and Roll life and loving every moment of it!  It sure beats selling shoes at Victoria Market!

Thanks for your music Rex.  You are influencing people whom you will never meet nor ever know.  However, one day in the not so distant future,  another superlative guitarist would appear and say, my greatest mentor and my greatest guitar hero was, REX GOH!

All the very best Rex!

Write-up by John Cher (right).

Copyrights Reserved.

Images: A personal collection and Google.

You Tube Video by Colin Hay: 'Rock From The Crowd".  Uploaded on June 11 in 2011, @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney, Aus.

Many thanks to Rex and John for making this posting happen. One of my best birthday gifts this year of 2015.

Singapore 60s Bands Sing About Their Ladies

Whether it's Mary Lou or Corrina, Judy or Diana, pop music has many song titles with ladies' names since most of the songs have romantic themes. From A in Amanda by Rod Stewart to Z in Zelda by Pete Townshend, female names are targeted and the numbers can go up to many hundreds.  

Similarly with our local band boys and their recordings on vinyls. Checking a personal library there was Henry Suriya who recorded DONNA, The Christones had AURA LEE, our teacher star across the causeway, Frankie Chia sang about his CHERYL MOANA MARIE and the Dukes with their popular original instrumental, SELINA.  

The selection made for this posting is hardly sufficient to prove any statistical endeavour but here are five detailed samplings of local pops classics with ladies' names on their titles.

The Checkmates:
Recorded at Kinetex Studios in Singapore, lead guitar Benny Chan, with Hann Hussein (rhythmist), Laurence Lee (bassist) and Amir Samsudin (drums), produced four original instrumentals on their EP with one piece bearing a lady's name. Called SYLVIA, it was composed by Lee and Chan. Anyone heard of Sylvia? Beautiful song. And lady too?

I have listened to Checkmates many times when we were in shows together in the past.  Like other bands they used to play Shadows and other 60's instrumental hits on stage. Their music was always solid, tight and more importantly on this vinyl, original. 

NB:
Lead Benny Chan was in Singapore recently and had just appeared at the Esplanade this month of November with the group. Just wondering if Sylvia came to watch the show. Or was she just a figment of the imagination. Great instumental though.

d'Starlights:

Coming from the Philippines, d'Starlights boys were so familiar with Singaporean audiences that they were gladly accepted as belonging to the local community. Famous for their appearances in the El Amigo Nightclub at The New World Amusement Park, they were associated with quality control music. 

On this EP called, IT'S SOUL MAN, the five boys sang and played, LOUIE, LOUIE. Written by Richard Berry way back in 1955, it was about a Jamaican sailor returning to his island to see his lady love.  With this group in control the song is one beautiful and hot soul beat dedication to Ms Louie. And for this lady, at least, we know who she was.

NB: d'Starlights were known to have exhibited their karate prowess on stage before their performances. Some of their members had passed away these few years.  One or two from the group had written on this blog to make these announcements.

The Quests:
A group that needs no introduction is The Quests. Because they were so popular in the South East Asian region, EMI Columbia allowed them to record current covers. So in 1969, they produced four songs for another one of their EPs without any original.

The particular vinyl had a note from the group on its back sleeve cover since they were coming home to Singapore that year from their stint in Hong Kong. Together with three other international hits The Quests included PROUD MARY. 

This fast, hot John Fogerty lady had become such a classic that nearly every Singapore band had performed this Creedence Clearwater Revival hit on stage. 
The lyrics explained that Mary was born in the Bayou and worked as a washerwoman. 

CCR made it number one, Tina Turner gyrated with the number, exhibiting her sensual legs, wearing the shortest skirt ever and Elvis Presley wowed every fan with his version. There was a long line of artistes who wooed Proud Mary.

NB:
In case some readers are not aware, two of the Quests had passed on i.e. Reggie Verghese and Jap Chong. Lim Wee Guan and Henry Chua are still as active with their drums and sold guitars. 

Chua had his SHANTY played by our Wind Symphonic recently (please read another posting).  I meet Jimmy Chan for kopi at Tiong Bahru Market. He's a pianist and still at Marina Mandarin. A very nice guy.

The Surfers:
Before the October Cherries, they were called The Surfers and had cut four tracks with EMI. This particular vinyl was so popular the producers could have made thousands of copies. You can get it anywhere today if you look hard enough. 

Titled HOORAY FOR HAZEL,  we have another hit to add to our short list of lady-named songs recorded in Singapore. This vinyl was done at MacDonald House, Orchard Road. Hazel belonged to Tommy Roe and the song gossiped about a woman who could win the hearts of all men but later mistreated them.

Again, their popularity guaranteed (and sales of course), I remember this group had a large fan base both locally and overseas when they became October Cherries. Imagine competing with Roe on the hit parade charts. Hooray for Surfers. 

The Trailers:

The Trailers were another household name in the 1960's. With their stronghold at the Palace Cinema in East Coast Katong, the T-Dance became a phenomenon because of Benny and The Trailers. 

So when the group was up and soaring in our oriental skies, they produced four melodies that were favourites with the locals. Two of them were from the West. Together with PHOENIX THEME, ALI SAN and the U.S. hit DING DONG SONG, The Trailers added their tim-sum mix with another lady's name called LARA'S THEME, a big hit in 1967.


The specially Chinese PHOENIX THEME glued the four songs air-tight.  All melodies were already separate hits singly but as Trailers instrumentals, this record was one of the most sought after during Chinese New Year 1967. Even our Malay and Indian friends knew the song as , Kwoh Sin Nien.

The concoction did the trick and this EP was one of the top best selling vinyls produced.  With Victor Woo on lead guitar, Maurice Jarre's LARA'S THEME went off-beat a-go-go and boy friend Doctor Zhivago went wild. 

Lady Lara was one foreign attraction.  Set in Russia, the movie told of a KGB Lieutenant General searching for Lara Antipova, the daughter of his half brother. She must be SOMEWHERE MY LOVE.

NB:
Victor Woo is still playing lead with his New Trailers today.  PHOENIX THEME was played during a Channel News Asia television documentary in 2014 discussing Singapore's Treasure Hunt.  It was hosted by pretty Anita Kapoor and archaeologist Lim Chen Sian. I was a guest.

So Sylvia, Louie, Mary, Hazel and Lara, where are you all?

Comments please.

The record covers are from a private collection; pinterest.com
You Tube Video: lvlalaysiaboleh.

Thunderbirds, Silver Strings, The Dukes, Checkmates Together National Theatre and Boys Town

Front Cover of Souvenir Programme: From Boys' Town Facebook.

47 Years Ago Today:

In the 60s when a variety show was held, either at the most popular venues like the National Theatre at Tank Road, Victoria Theatre at Stamford Road or in smaller venues like the FnN Hall at Kim Seng Road or SJAB Hall at Beach Road, the souvenir magazine was usually a simple 8 to 10 page booklet made out of typing paper.  At times it consisted of an A4 size paper folded and stapled into place to form the evening's programme.

The Early Bird Line-Up of The Thunderbirds

The inner pages were usually printed in black and white with a mildly colourful cover page done using silk-screen printing in two colours and the paper's white background (image one). Graphics could be quite attractive depending on the amateur artist's ability and committee in charge.


Personally David, Merlin and Danny Boy (Osman) were the nicest guys ever!

The rest of the pages would be filled with pictures and write-ups of our local pop stars while the centre-fold revealed the programme for the evening.  It was standard procedure.

The Surfers from album cover.

The printing would usually be done manually using a *Gestetner duplicating machine.  Such a procedure saved cost but with a little more financial backing the organisers would have the programme printed professionally by a company as the Peep Pop Show programme (image 4) shows.

A Typical Pop 60s Show.  The Best There Was, And Well Worth The Entrance Ticket.

Again the choice depended upon the organisers' financial situation and whether there were advertisements between pages. These advertisements from sponsors would certainly have covered part of the cost.


Siglap Five With Jeffridin.

The above show sponsored by Boys Town OBA could have been less expensive to produce in the 60s where bands performed because they loved the glamour and glory of being pop stars.  Some bands were also eager to help out with the charities that needed assistance.  Mostly the boys and girls who participated were doing the gigs for fun and enjoyment while earning an honorarium.



Checkmates - Without Doubt In The Top Five Category.

This particular charity event showcased the best of the guitar groups from the 60s. It could have had attracted a large audience at the National Theatre seeing that it was held on 9th December 1966, exactly 47 years ago since it was a time of year-end festivities like Christmas and New Year. It was also the school holiday season.  Boys Town had organised successful shows like this one to help raise funds.



From Velvetones To Firebyrds. Recorded too.

The bands featured that night need no introduction. Except for one or two, the line-up of artistes were the best from our local 60s stable. They were well-represented with an array of top singers and guitar personalities from Singapore. Even bands from the UK were participating and included singers like Brian Neale, Leroy Lindsay and Winston Walters. Terry Marsden compered the show.

The National Theatre Singapore (1963-1986).

If you had attended this particular show 47 years ago please write in because it would be exciting to have you bring back memories that happened nearly half a century ago. You don't have to give your name. Would really be great cause I know hundreds of people would have been involved in planning and executing such a large happening.



*A Manual Office Duplicating Machine

Images: From Boys' Town Facebook and Bloggers' Collection.

"Tunes That Crept Into My Consciousness" Singapore 50s With John Harper: Part One

John Harper

John Harper resides in York, England, plays bass guitar and lived in Singapore in the late 50s.   I met him recently with wife Ann where he recalled the times he spent on our sunny island.  When I asked him if he could share his music memories specially for this blog he agreed. Thank you John.

Part One:

The people we are today is the sum of all the influences on our life before today. Tomorrow we will be slightly different people because we have to add in today's influence. But, the difference will not be very much, because those influences of the past have already moulded and shaped us significantly along the way. Some of the influences that play a big part in moulding you include: your mother and father, where you have lived, the people you have met and the food, music and art you have experienced during that time.


"Killed him a b'ar when he was only three"

Probably the most crucial years are the years from the age of about 10 to 20 years of age. For me, two of those crucial years were spent in Singapore between the ages of 10 and 12 years old, arriving in Singapore in April 1957 and returning to the UK in July 1959. In this short series I'll be looking at the years just prior to our move to Singapore as Part 1, our time in Singapore as Part 2 and for the third part what was happening in the UK in the first few months of our return.


"Will we have rainbows day after day"

I had probably started to notice popular music in films and on the radio only a couple of years before we went to Singapore. This was possibly initiated by my mother taking my brothers and I to see films like “Davy Crockett”, “The Dambusters”, “The man Who Knew Too Much”, and probably that most influential of films for popular music that forever changed the mould; “Rock Around The Clock”.

By this time we were also listening to Radio Luxembourg which started the evening with a fifteen minute slot of "Dan Dare - Pilot Of The Future" fighting the evil green alien “The Mekon” before starting the evenings output of popular music. We were allowed to listen to Dan Dare and then to the music until it was time for bed.

The films introduced me to a variety of interesting music from the brand new thumping beat of “Rock Around The Clock”, to the gentler Doris Day number from “The Man Who Knew Too Much” “Que Sera, Sera” or whatever will be, will be.

"Put your glad rags on and join me hon"

When the Davy Crockett film came out everybody at school was singing the “Ballad of Davy Crockett” and some even wore Davy Crockett hats with the raccoon tail hanging down. Our aunt in Canada even sent us some printed Davy Crockett T shirts. I did not want to be different to all my class mates in those days and as they did not have T shirts like them I did not want to wear them publicly and actually kicked up such a fuss that they were put away. Somehow when they resurfaced when we got to Singapore and shirts with colourful patterns were the norm after school they were unpacked and worn with minimal fuss.

"Saying who can that fool be"

To this eclectic mix was added the theme from the "Dambusters" which had not really made much of an impact on me until my friend started playing it on a recorder and taught me how to play the first few bars. Further spicing the mix were a few tunes from the radio that had crept into my consciousness, "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" played by the man with the golden trumpet a title Eddie Calvert justly deserved by following it up with another all time favourites of mine “Zambesi”. A few years later Zambesi reappeared in the superb format of a Hank Marvin arrangement for guitar by the Shadows, I think it was on about their third LP (On You Tube video below). 


"Branches of the two trees were intertwined"

Three songs popular in the UK before we left became popular in Singapore just about at the time that we arrived. They were Ann Shelton's “Lay Down Your Arms”, Eddie Fisher's “Cindy, Oh Cindy” and Johnnie Ray's “Walking In The Rain”. Because of the delay between songs being released in the UK and being released in Singapore and Australia releases wereabout six to twelve weeks behind what was popular in the UK. So, with these three songs we got to enjoy them all over again.
One song that I think was an exception to this sequence was “A Pub With no Beer” by Slim Dusty, recorded in Australia and distributed from Australia first. The flip side of it was an even folkier number called “Once When I Was Mustering”. More on this later.

"Nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear"

As you can see, my tastes are becoming wide and varied from the smooth hot brassy tones of Eddie Calvert, through the dulcet tones of Doris Day to the folksy nasal tones of Slim Dusty and I have barely started on the influences of the music I heard in Singapore.

The next article will cover 1957 and 1958.

CONNECT HERE for both:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2013/01/john-harpers-singapore-50s-music-trail.html

Original article: John Harper Copyrights Reserved.
Images: Google.
Captions: from song lyrics.

John contributes to Buzz:
https://profiles.google.com/117596378549583765811/buzz#117596378549583765811/buzz

In Memory Of Robert Song: Vocalist And Percussionist: The Stylers♪ Band: bogetman65

Danny Koh: Fishermen, Candidates (Part III)

In my search for Singapore's 60s instrumental group members, I remember the Cathay restaurant where sea-food was as popular as the bands that performed there. Danny Koh provided the answer that I posted a year and a half ago on the blog when I asked him about this restaurant.*

Pianist, tutor and musical director Danny formed two very popular bands, The Fishermen and The Candidates that played to a packed restaurant called The Kelong in the 1970s. (Notes from a letter to Andy on Sunday, 6th June, 2010):

He was with The Trailers for 3 years. The band had a number of **pianists - or keyboardists - before he joined them. The first in the group was Michael, followed by Patrick Foo, then Danny himself and Benson Goh. There were others too but it had been many years since and there was difficulty remembering specific names.

When Danny left The Trailers, he formed The Fishermen and they performed regularly at the Kelong Niteclub which was the old Cathay Restaurant. The original musicians in the group included Benny Chan (guitar) and Amir Samsudin (drummer), both from the Checkmates and Robert Suriya (guitar), who is now residing in Guam. Robert, of course, was from Naomi and The Boys.

After the group disbanded, Danny formed another band called, The Candidates. The musicians were Ramon Rahmat from the BlackJacks, Sanip Ismail, who had since passed away, Leon Lim, who now resides in Vietnam and Leo Fernando, a saxaphonist of stature and renown. This professional band of men performed at the Kelong, Singapore and at the Fortuna Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for some time.

Danny added that when they were at the peak of their popularity, they signed under the RCA label and recorded some songs, but the record was never released for reasons known to the group themselves.

**Danny is a 'pianist' rather than a 'keyboardist', the distinction being clear that he has a Licentiate from the Royal School of Music (LRSM).

Danny Koh: Singapore's Most 

Established Pianist and Musical Director.

Image: http://web.singnet.com.sg/~ebony_ivory17/

*Thursday, January 08, 2009:
Cathay Building, The Kelong, The Flybaits, The Fishermen

Original article: Andy Lim.

Robert Song - Singer, Artist Extraordinaire

Shirley Nair left the *Checkmates, to join the Silver Strings in the mid-60s. Robert Song [image right with microphone], who was percussionist with The Flamingos Combo Band, replaced Nair. Although Song fronted the Checkmates as a vocalist he was still playing with the Combo band for some time. He was also with The Stylers (check out the previous posting under Stylers).

Song was the Johnny Ray - Cry - of Singapore and already in the music scene since the mid-50s. He produced many stage shows to promote movies that his company brought in. He was best with jazz standards but could sing rock and roll. Just Walkin' In The Rain, was one of the standards he did.

The Checkmates play instrumental song Sylvia.wmv. Video: eosyeo.

Robert Song and The Checkmates performed at the Cellar and other venues that included the Golden Venus and the Celestial Room. Golden Venus was a rendezvous for British servicemen stationed in Singapore then and love different genres of music, including jazz. Song could perform jazz standards easily.

Song, always with a personal touch, distributed postcards of the band while he was with the group. As a graphic artist and an excellent one at that, he designed the above card; it was a special calling card for promotional purposes. 

Robert Song in a blue shirt [3rd from right].

Many of the huge cinema posters in the 60s, fronting the Capitol cinema at North Bridge Road, were created by Robert Song. These colourful creations have become synonymous with the building and thousands of passers-by or motorists would take notice of these colourfully gigantic posters.

The card (image) was a gift from the talented singer. Song had since migrated to the Philippines.

*The Checkmates comprised, Benny Chan (lead), Lanky Lawrence Lee (bass), Hans Hussein (rhythm) and Amir (drums). They were one of the top guitar groups in the 60s.

Checkmates, Trailers, Golden Venus, Palace

It was Saturday night on the 12th of December, 1964 and obviously about 2 weeks before Christmas. Nightclubs were full and so were the spirits of youths in Singapore. The above advertisement (image) from the Straits Times Press, Singapore, shows the Golden Venus at Orchard Road and the Grand Palace theatre at East Coast Road doing brisk business.

And on Sunday, bands were in full swing with Robert Song and the Checkmates and The Trailers fronted by Vernon having the rockingest time ever.

Although admission was free, patrons paid for their drinks. Usually they bought one drink for the whole afternoon, well sometimes two. But nobody bothered because each couple was trying to show the rest on the floor that the cha-cha-cha, twist, shake and rock would rule the T-Dances that day. After all it was the Dave Clark Five & The Animals Twist & Shake Special.

(Image from: Straits Times Press, Singapore/National Library Board, Singapore.)

The above idea was initiated by Dennis Tan.

Stylers (Chinese Pop), Robert Song (Baba Pop)

You cannot discuss Singapore Chinese Pop without The Stylers. Like most local bands, this group started at home parties.

They had since made it big accompanying Chinese singers, comedians, appearing on Singapore tele and recording instrumentals that became very popular.

The recordings were similar to James Last non-stop ballroom music only the local versions used Cha-Cha & A-Go-G0 music. One that I like is their version of 'Stupid Cupid'.

Robert Song (far left) who was a baba and Singapore's Johnny Ray, sang with them. In the early 60s they played at a home party where I was MC. Song had sinced passed away and as a friend he was always humble and pleasant. I will never forget Robert Song for his kindness and goodness.

Original article: Andy Lim.

YouTube: Key in: the stylers