With some rare historic photograph and videos from 1800 to 1970s please enjoy - In the early fifties and mid sixties a haunting voice became quite popular over the only radio channel in our country. This was the golden voice of C. T. Fernando who had, by this time, had become popular with some of his gramophone songs likeSela Lihini Kovul and Ambaruk Hevanelle.
C. T. was wanted for the radio channels for new songs which came through two sources: gramophone records and specially recorded radio musical programs like light songs and film songs. C. T. was a clerk attached to the official languages department. He was loved by his fellow mates who left him to spend more time and devote himself for more songs. The lyric writers such as Sarath Wimalaweera, Karunaratne Abeysekara, Sudas Masakorala, Sarachchandra Subasinghe. Allienson Piyadasa provided lyrics for which he created many melodies independently. Thus C.T. became popular day by day, ending up being a household name. A flimsy volume of songs was compiled entitled C. T. Handa. This was runaway success, which went on to several editions. I had the chance of meeting him more closely when he came to London. It was as far back as the early Seventies, when I was the managerial producer of the BBC Sandesaya. I invited him to record three new songs composed by me.
I was quite happy he had come to London with his friend Patrick Denipitya, a guitarist as well as melody maker. Both of them took time off to accept my invitation and performed well for the need. The other program producers of the World Service of the BBC had the chance of including these three songs in their programs. According to most of them the response was quite satisfactory, and as a result he had the chance of getting more money and more invitations to perform. In some London events he sang such songs as Bilinda Nalavay Ukulay, Ma Baala Kaalay and Piyumehi Penibothi Vana Bambaru
One of the African English program producers, John Myers, interviewed CT for his popular morning program titled as 'Good Morning Africa'. C T told him all about his life and music career which brought him fame. One of the things I remember was the question posed by Myers. He asked C. T. if he was influenced by Spanish music tradition. CT just smiled and commented \"I have listened to Spanish songs. I like them, but that's all.\" Both of them smiled at each other. I remember John Myers shoot another question: What is the place you have achieved in the music scene in Sri Lanka?
In response CT said \"The question has to be asked not from me, but from my music lovers. Once again both of them smiled. When CT recorded his three songs, the BBC wanted the songs to be disked on a stereo disk. But unfortunately CT had to leave London on the same day. CT returned to Sri Lanka, his hometown, quite happy. His son Priyantha continues his service today.
So this project did not materialize. But on his return to Sri Lanka, he brought out these songs on a disk. Priyantha told me it was a bestseller. CT gave me a gift too. When CT sang in carnivals he was popularly acclaimed as a people's singer. His songs Piyumaka was sung by singers who came from Russia, India, China and Japan. He was known to them as a pop-folk singer. His songs Pinsiduvennay was one of the hits during our childhood days.
This song was popular among children and the message was on how to love animals. His song Bara Baagay was yet another hit. The HMV record was a moving fast seller back then. CT was also selected to perform in Sinhala films. He was a singing star in several films. And he was selected to perform a minor role in an English film as well.
As far back in 1960s, the then Radio Ceylon presented a musical program called Nava Mihira. This program was designed to enrich light song and lyric writing culture among radio listeners. I had the good chance of submitting a lyrical composition to my good friend P. B. Alwis Perera, a well known poet. Alwis Perera brushed it up a little and the song was sung by C. T. Perera and Puspharani. It became popular. C. T. wanted more lyrics from me. But I never had the time, nor the urge. Professor Sunanda MAHENDRA
