LEGENDARY VOCALIST DHARMADASA WALPOLA A DOYEN IN PLAYBACK SINGING IN SINHALA FILMS TO BE REMINISED ON HIS 39th DEATH ANNIVERSARY – by Sunil Thenabadu Dharmadasa Walpola was born on 27 November 1927 in Deiyannawea,Kandy ,this future play-back singer displayed his innate talents of musical virtuosity with inherited music affiliations too from his childhood. His father Charles Appuhamy a dress maker by profession tailored costumes to the Tower Hall artistes who also learnt his art from him though not much interested in studies. His mother was Karunawathie a housewife. Young Dharmadasa for a period had made masks for the Sri Lankan Army to contribute to the family expenses. His father’s close association with artistes had paved way for him to know the leading artistes on stage.Before he sang in a Sinhalese film in year 1952 there was a public poll to elect the ‘most popular vocalist” initiated by cinema newspaper titled ‘cinemawa’ of ...