REMEMBERING CLARENCE

The 22nd death anniversary of gifted musician Clarence Wijewardena who created a new music culture in the country, falls on December 13. Clarence was born on August 3, 1943 in Haputale where his father was working as a doctor at the Brampton Estate. None could believe that the young man who took up a career in planting would end up as an exceptional musician. Not only as a musician, Clarence also excelled as a singer, director, lyricist and an all rounder in the field of rhythm. Not stopping at that he also changed the style and destiny of music that existed in the country in that era. Some believe the curly haired The ‘’ Moonstones’’ were handsome youngster was a formed with Annesley Malawana divine gift. It was surprising that a man who never studied nor had a family background in music gave up such a lucrative career to embrace something unknown to him. This is why it is believed that music was a divine gift given to him. In 1964, the Wijewardana family comprising two boys and two girls moved to Batugedera in Ratnapura and the gem city changed this man.he started a three-piece band without a name. One fine day he met Sangabo Corea at Batugedera who sought his help to develop his musical career. By then Clarence was one of the finest self-taught guitarists yet unknown. Sangabo saw the talent in the young man when he went through his compositions, which were yet to be recorded. being introduced to Clarence by Premasinghe Marambe. Annesley played the key role as the lead singer while Clarence and his ‘’Moonstones’’ entered the pop music scene and dominated the scene with hits like ‘’ Mango Kalu Nande’’, ‘’Kalu Mama’’ and many other songs which were later recorded with Indrani Perera as the female vocalist. The combination of Clarence, Annesly, Indrani later became known as the ‘Sinhala Pop Trio’. Clarence in later years emerged as one of the country’s most sought after film music directors while his songs like Kanda Surinduni, Dileepa Podi Puthu, Ran Samanalayin, Malata Bambaraku Se, Kandukaraye Seethale, Sihina Genena and hundreds of other hits will be cherished for generations. Clarence Wijewardana who revolutionized the Sinhala music scene by introducing a pop culture to the local music, also established a new audience for Sinhala music within the English speaking fraternity among whom he is popular even today.