National Theatre, Celestial Room, SEAsia Hotel

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

The whole gang performed within a night at three venues in Singapore. Again, newspaper advertisments from The Straits Times on 12th December, 1964 promoted a gig at the National Theatre at Tank Road and week-end dancing at the Celestial Room, Orchard Road and South-East Asia Hotel at Waterloo Street.

Our boys and girls were having a great time, entertained by The Silver Strings, Keith Locke & The Quests, Bobby Lambert & The Dukes, The Jets, Steven Tan & The Gippslanders, The Midnighters, The Tramps, Zainab Huri and Johnny Nakamura of Sukiyaki fame. Ticket prices were only one, two and three dollars. There was no cover charge for nightly dancing.

The Silver Strings, with Andy, entertained at the Celestial Room and South-East Asia Hotel too. Can anyone remember those days? Do write in to contribute.

(Image: from The Straits Times Press Singapore 12/12/64. National Library Board Singapore)

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Johnnie Ray - Pop 50s Music - US Influence

Monday, June 1, 2009

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 rockability 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 in his right ear. 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.

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

Reference: (1) Wikipedia. (2) National Heritage Board, Singapore Website.

Original article: Andy Lim

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Checkmates, Flamingos, Stylers, Robert Song

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

Song was the Johnny Ray - Cry - of Singapore and already in the music scene since the mid 50s. He also produced the Paul Anka Competition at the Rex Cinema in 1959 and other stage shows, since he was with Shaw Brothers then. He was best with jazz standards but could sing rock and roll. Just Walkin' In The Rain, was one of the standards he did.

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.

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. Many of the huge cinema posters in the 60s, fronting the Capitol Cinema at North Bridge Road, were created by Robert Song.

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.

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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.

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Ambassador Hotel Thanks For The Memories!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Anonymous commented on May 7th posting under Comment Page on May 13th, 2009 at 1.06pm: "How fab to find this photo of the Ambassador Hotel. As a child in the 1950s I lived next to the hotel at number 44. I would lie in bed listening to the music coming from the roof, often in a language I didn’t understand (I’m English), enjoying it immensely.

One of my other memories is when I would walk by the hotel on my way home from the school bus. The foyer doors were open and the sound of the juke box would waft out as I passed.

I recall ‘Oh please stay by me Diana’ was that Paul Anka? That song should pin point the year. I see from Google Earth that sadly the house and hotel no longer exist, nor the sea view we were lucky to have from our balcony."

(Thanks for writing. Here's another image of The Ambassador Hotel from National Heritage Board, Singapore.)

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