Sadly gone but certainly not forgotten

One by one of my singing friends are gone, no matter how young. I pray that their kind souls be blessed.

It goes to show that singers or artistes, no matter how high their names feature on the list of chart toppers, are mortals after all and we mortals are but shadows and dust, ending as shadows and dust too. Even, the late King of Rock and Roll Elvis Aaron Presley, the greatest of 20th century artiste and entertainer (according to ‘The Times’ magazine) and a man considered by many as a demigod, succumbed to worldly ailments and stilled by death at a young age of 42.

Recording artiste Zainal Abidin Ujang, a friend since the early 70s, was the latest of my singing buddies to pass on. Popularly known as ZAU, this singer with a voice good enough to match John Lennon’s (if he were to render songs of the Fab Four) and that of Sir Tom Jones or Jones’ Malay equivalent Ismail Harun (of Singapore), Zainal, younger brother of Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, had a lot of Iban connections. It was thanks to these connections and familiarity that he recorded few albums of Iban songs and was popular with ‘Lina’, ‘Selamat Tinggal Dara’ and few other Iban songs. We first crossed path in 1973 during a state level singing contest in Sibu – I was then studying in Lower Six at Methodist Secondary School Sibu whereas ZAU was working in RTM Sibu – when we both made it to the finals in two categories, namely English and Malay songs categories. Held at the open basketball court of Sibu Boys Club, the contest was very stiff as it drew competitors from other divisions, including Kuching and Miri. ZAU was champion in both categories with his renditions of Tom Jones’ ‘I Who Have Nothing’ for the English songs category and another Malay number that my poor memory fails to recall. Yours truly was first runner-up in both sections and won two trophies which are still proudly displayed among my humble collections.

Back in 2008, after retiring from RTM, we met by chance in Pending. Thanks to Zainal, two weeks after that meeting, I was engaged as a guest artiste doing Elvis at a function he organised in Petra Jaya. About three years ago we became Facebook friends but I cannot recall when was his last fb posting. It was through fb that I came to know of his demise just a few days ago, posted respectively by fellow Iban artiste Symond Kimara (of Kuching’s Kimara Band) as well as recording artistes Jonathan Jubin Kilah and Wesley Blaja, both of Sibu.

Two years ago another friend Daniel Shukry who fought cancer in vain was also called home to be with our maker. He was just passing 60. I first met Daniel in 1986 during a function at Kuching’s Telang Usan Hotel. He was doing lead guitar with a band that also included seasoned keyboardist Harun Mahdi, who is now also my good friend, thanks our common musical inclination.  Between 1986 and 2012 Daniel and I crossed path many times. In 2005 I dedicated an article to him in my Sarawak Tribune’s Sunday Music Scene column using ‘Anya Kedap’ byline.  Being involved in events management, Daniel took care of our music and instruments at Pesta Kaul Mukah of 2012 in Mukah that also featured his elder sister Rogayah Shukri, Dato Sarbanum Merikan, Datin Senorita Linang and three Elvis acts, including the author. It was my last rendezvous with the talented singer and guitarist whose favourite English song was ‘Just Once’ by James Ingram while his favourite Malay song was ‘Pergilah Kasih’ by Tito Soemarsono – an Indonesian singer and composer that I had the privelege to perform together with in RTB Brunei in Bandar Seri Begawan on March 4, 2000.

Another singing buddy and good friend, veteran singer Larry Dominic Linang of the Linang singing family passed on in 2016. He was in his late 70s. Larry, a senior engineering assistant with RTM and later a businessman, sang ‘The Wedding’ accompanied by a piano at my first wedding at a leading Sibu hotel in 1984. Since 2002 we used to meet at various functions and music joints in Kuching and sealed a strong bond of friendship – “Just call me ‘sayang’, not ‘uncle’,” he used to say to young girls. Among his favourite songs were ‘Spanish Eyes’ (originally by Engelbert Humperdinck) and ‘She’s Not You’ (by Elvis Presley) as well as Broery Marantika’s ‘Angin Malam’.

Meanwhile, among our handful of local Elvis Presley impressionists, three have gone to be with the Lord. The first to go was the late Reynolds Gregory or Elrey who died while performing at a function in one of the city’s hotels in 2010, just more than a week after we marked what would have been the king’s 75th birthday on 8 Jan that year.  He died donning his latest blue EP jumpsuit. Many of us, Muslims included, were united at Tabuan Dayak’s All Saints Church in bidding farewell to our beloved friend who had a strong resemblance to Elvis with a voice so close that of our idol’s, especially with songs such as ‘Sentimental Me’ and ‘Love Me’. Prolific author, singer and pianist James Alexander Ritchie, a very close friend of Elrey, led the rest of us in dedicating our love for our late EP impersonator and singing brother with ‘How Great Thou Art’ while playing the piano during the funeral at the aforesaid church, joined by our Muslim brothers.

My tribute article published by local daily just days after Elrey’s funeral was titled ‘Elrey Elvis all the way till death’.

A month after his demise a few local EP acts paid tribute to him at Penview Hotel in Kuching. Our guest artiste was Marciano Franco from Melaka, an Elvis Presley of Malaysia titleholder.

Since the 80s Elrey and I had a number of great moments together, including performances in Kuala Lumpur, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu and Kuching apart from private meetings and carefree socialising.  He was an elder brother figure. In 2005, he was also a subject for my Anya Kedap byline’s Sunday Music Scene column in then Sarawak Tribune.

Another singing buddy and EP impersonator from Miri, the late Alex Ting, was called home slightly later – also at a young age of under 60.  We performed at least thrice together in Kuching, namely once at The Steppes, once at Four Points Sheraton Hotel (now known as Century Hotel) and another time at Rajah Court.

Our friend Sibu Elvis Presley John Siaz De King also known as Shaking John was the latest EP act to leave this borrowed world. A very good host for our Sibu’s ‘Remembering Elvis’ gig in 2007, John was just passing the 60-year mark at his untimely demise. He was perhaps Malaysia’s tallest EP impersonator at 6 ft 2 inches. His EP favourites were ‘Johnny B Goode’ and ‘Never Been to Spain’.

A local Malay Elvis impressionist Ali Ahmad was called home very much earlier. He was not even 50. The late Ali was a unique individual as he had keen inclination to EP songs that are actually Christian hyms or carrying lyrics about Christianity and Jesus such as ‘Crying in The Chapel’, ‘American Trilogy’ and ‘How Great Thou Art’. The elder brother of another Sarawak singing great Safar Gaffar, Ali was once heard saying: “These are just songs which I like very much.” He added that music had no boundary.

Though gone, all these remarkable crooners are not forgotten. We pray for their peaceful eternal rest.