Sunday, September 28, 2008

Danny Chan

Danny Chan Bak-keung was a popular 1980s cantopop singer, composer and actor in Hong Kong. Chan was of the first generation of pop idols in Hong Kong. He was already an electronic organ player, a songwriter, an actor and a promising singer at the beginning of his career. He made a name for himself with his debut release, "Tears For You", which established him as a teen idol. "Ripple", " I Just Love You" and "Life Expectation" are just some of the golden hits written and sung by Chan. He is mostly remembered for his Cantonese romance ballads and high quality compositions. Chan died in 1993 after being in a coma for 17 months.

Career


Chan won third prize at the "HK Pop Song Composition Competition" in 1977. In that same year, he made his acting debut with Hong Kong Television Broadcasts through a TV drama called "Sweet Babe". In 1978, he won first prize at the "Hong Kong Yamaha Electone Festival". He held his first music concert in Hong Kong that same year. His first music album, entitled "First Love," was released in 1979.

Chan subsequently signed a music contract with . After spending several years with HK EMI, he signed with HK Warner Brothers where he reached superstar status. In 1985, he signed with DMI, which was a joint venture between EMI and Dickson Poon. Through DMI, Chan was able to launch several successful albums. He returned to HK Warner Brothers in the late 1980s.

Chan's career peaked in the early 1980s when he joined a music group called Warners and sang a number of hit songs such as 'Will Always Be Loving You' , 'Take Care of Yourself Tonight' , 'No' . Danny Chan was considered a contemporary to Hong Kong cantopop peers like Leslie Cheung and Alan Tam.

During the span of his music career, Chan held many music concerts in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Canada and the United States. Chan also participated and represented Hong Kong in song festivals such as the Nagasaki Asia Music Festival in Japan , Peace Music Concert , Tokyo Music Festival and the Shanghai Music Festival in China . He was also invited to perform at the Seoul Korea 1988 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. In 1988, he performed in the presence of the royal Thai Princess in a Thai Charity Show. In 1991, Chan announced of his decision to leave the Hong Kong music industry. He held a farewell concert in Shanghai in 1992 and subsequently retired from the cantopop music industry.

Death and speculation



There was speculation in the late 1980s that Chan suffered from alcoholism as it was unfairly perceived in the press that his career lagged behind that of then Hong Kong cantopop superstars, Alan Tam and Leslie Cheung. On May 18, 1992, Chan was found unconscious and he was admitted to in Hong Kong. This stamp set focused on Hong Kong's popular singers, saluting five pop stars who have left their marks on Cantopop music history. Chan was featured on the HK$1.80 stamp.

Discography








Albums


*1979, "First Love"
*1980, "No More Tears"
*1980, "Encore"
*1981, "Sunflower"
*1982, "Telling"
*1983, "I Just Love You"
*1984, "Picking Out Star"
*1985, "Deeply In Love With You"
*1986, "When I Think Of You"
*1986, "Hoping"
*1987, "Kittens Are Better Than Dogs"
*1987, "Dream Person"
*1988, "Hiding My Love In My Eyes"
*1988, "Winter Love"
*1988, "The Wizard Has Migrated"
*1989, "What You Desire In"
*1990, "Waiting For You"
*1991, "Love In L.A"
*1991, Purple Concert"
*1992, "Because Love You"
*1992, "Dear You"

Songs


In 1999, Chan's song ''Ripples'' became popular once again as the theme song of the sale of units of the Tracker Fund of Hong Kong .

A partial list of songs composed and sung by Chan:
*Waiting / Tung
*One in My Dreams / Mung Lui Yun
*I Just Love You / Peen Peen Hay Foon Nay
*Ripples / Leen Yi
*Listening to Music with Wine / Dui Jau Dong Gaw
*My Story / Ngoh Dik Goo See
*Shedding Tears For You / Ngaan Lui Wai Nay Lau
*Applause / Hawt Choi
*Hoping for Destiny / Paan Mong Dik Yuen Fun
*Warm
*Tell Me What Can I Do
*What You Desire In Life / Yat Sung Hor Kau
*Break Out / Dak Poh

Filmography


Cinematic films


*1980, Encore
*1981, On Trial
*1984, Merry Christmas
*1986, My Family
*1987, Chou tin dik tong wah aka An Autumn's Tale ; aka Liumang daheng

TV dramas


*1977, Sweet Babe
*1980, Take Turn
*1980, Breakthrough

Awards


Music


*1977, Third Prize, "HK Pop Song Compose Competition"
*1978, First Prize, "Hong Kong Yamaha Organ Competition"
*1978, Third Prize, "HK Pop Song Compose Competition"
*1983, Most Popular Singer Award, "AGB Listener's Choice"
*1988, Third Prize, "Most Popular Male Singer Competition", Hong Kong Commercial Station
*1989, Third Prize, "Most Popular Male Singer Competition", Hong Kong Commercial Station
*1989, Third Prize, "Pop Music Most Popular Male Singer", Tokyo Music Festival
*1991, "Top 10 Most Popular Singer" in Guangzhou, China

Others


*1981, "Model Youth" from Wong Tai Sin District, Hong Kong
*1984, "Most Charming Singer" from International Folk Song
*1987, "Hong Kong Best Dressed Person", Hong Kong Commercial Station
*1989, "Hong Kong Top 10 Friendly Person", Hong Kong Commercial Station

No comments: