RANDEER MENDIS REMINSCES UNCLE MAXWELL”S “EVER GREENS” – BY SUNIL THENABADU The popular songs of Max- well Mendis such as ‘Mama Bohoma Baya Uuna’, Seda Sulang Hamanne’, ‘Mage Su- rathal Podi Duwa’, ‘Mahadena Muththa’, ‘Saravita Bulath Wikununna’ and ‘Bola Ka- dala’are now back on stage with the new voice of Ran- deer Mendis. Randeer Mendis, the son of Lalith Mendis of ‘Mendis Four-some’ and the nephew of Maxwell, has stormed the stage with evergreens of Maxwell , Unfortunately after his demise in the early 2000 decade his popular name and songs were diminishing in popularity. However his nephew Randeer Mendis having inherited his talent is now unearthing the lost prestige of his Uncle Maxwell. His father Lalith Men- dis had thought him to learn playing the guitar, keyboards, sent him for music classes as he had inherited music talents. In year 1972 almost five decades back four members of a Mendis ...

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LEGENDARY INDRANI PERERA REMINISCED AFTER SIX DECADES OF DOMINANCE IN MELODIC ARENA – by Sunil Thenabadu Indrani Perera is the celebrated Sri Lankan singer and playback singer labeled as the “Nightingale of Sri Lankan music” who was along with Clarence Wijewardena and Annesley Malewana are known as the “Original Sinhala Pop Trio”. She was born in Borella ,a resident of Rajagiriya is the second of three girls in the family. Her father, Abeypala Perera was a Buddhist, mother, Muriel Perera was a Christian. She has one elder sister, Mallika and one younger sister, Iranganie. Indrani studied at Presbyterian Girls School in Regent Street., Clifford Girl’s College and later at Stafford College to study medicine having been interested to be a doctor. Indrani had been an avid reader focusing mainly on Martin Wickremasinghe’s novels. She had studied Kandyan Dancing in the school but had been following, singing mainly English songs.  Her sister Mallika ...

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Shiromi of “Kondanamagena” fame, 50 years celebrity in Canada by Sunil Thenabadu  The child singing prodigy Shiromi Fernando, born in year 1960  ‘Baby Shiromi” celebrity domiciled in Canada is planning to commemorate her golden milestone in singing since coming to fame in year 1971 with her ‘kondenamagena’ song recorded for the Sooriya label. The lyrics and music compositions of this song and three other songs ‘Amma Pembara Amma’,’Sakala Bujan”,and Handa Haami’ recorded together in a disc under famous Soorya label which were sold then, as hot cakes at the Children’s book shop. This was a feather in the cap for the eleven year old Shiromi as her disc was grabbed by music enthusiasts when in the same era with discs of songs sung by then famous artistes reminiscing, The Moonstones, Dharmaratne Brothers.Mendis Foursome,Golden Chimes,Samanalayo,La Bambas,Three Sisters,Spit Fires, esteemed individual artistes like MS Fernando,Paul Fernando,AE Manoharan,Priya Suriyasena,Milton Mallawarachchi,Dalrene Arnolda etc.All of ...

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