In Loving memory of Colvin Merle Lucien Perera 1944 – 2021 – by Patrick Ranasinghe

The Jetliners   Quarter Master Store

Quarter Master Store  with Lucien  Last live appearance

The Jetliners At The Coconut Grove With Mignonne & Ishan Full Green Album

In Loving memory of Colvin Merle Lucien Perera 1944 – 2021 who I recall was a student at St. Peters College, Bambalapitiya in 1958.  He was better known as Merle. He would take part in College concerts. He completed his higher studies at St Benedict’s College, Kotahena. 

I next saw him perform on stage at St. Peters College, with his group “The Jetliners”. A popular sound-man named Tony Fernando, who was, on that day, experimenting on various sound effects, offered the group a recording session at his Lewis Brown studio.

It was a memorable night for me watching this group perform hits such “Apache” and “Quarter Masters Store”, songs made popular by the UK group called The Drifters, later changing their name to The Shadows.

A few months later, I bumped into Lucien who invited me to the Coconut Grove (a function room at the famous Galle Face Hotel), where his group performed to teenagers. Eventually making it a regular Sundown Dance.

Enjoy the music of Lucien on lead guitar on their first (green) Album titled “The Jetliners at the Coconut Grove”

(Pics supplied by Lucien and Felix – bass guitarist)

Patrick Ranasinghe