“VALE’ CHRIS.GREET” – By Des Kelly
It is with great sadness that I inform all members of eLanka of the passing of not just a very good friend, but also of someone who was a true legend of our beautiful Motherland, Sri Lanka. There were only a very few Sri Lankans of this halcyon era in Lanka that that didn’t know Chris, be it even only his dulcet tones on Radio Ceylon, if not personally. The era I write about was during the 1950’s.
We were both young & carefree, Chris, just a few years older than me owned a second-hand Mayflower car, in which he would pick me up in order to attend a few rehearsals of my song Dreamworld, and on the way, the car would inevitably break down, and Chris would then get out, kick the closest tyre and say to me, “don’t worry Desmond, she may flower again”, get back into the car and somehow get it going again. Chris Greet was the Producer of the very first professional recording of my song, and I couldn’t have done it without him.
My good friend Joe VanLangenberg has also written a recent tribute to Chris Greet, a tribute that is now repeated on eLanka, at my request. Thank you, Joe, and, of course, Neil. It is fully appreciated.
Our condolences go out to the family of this great guy who honoured me by being my Producer and never ever forgetting the song he produced.
Christopher Greet died of Covid 19 complications in England on 29/12/20, but rest assured my friend, I will never forget you. Sri Lanka has lost yet another REAL LEGEND, and I, a REAL FRIEND. Rest now, in peace, and may God have you in HIS keeping forever.
Desmond Kelly.
