Vernon Corea 1927 - 2002

Whenever the Sri Lankan superstar, the iconic Annesley Malewana performs on stage, he never fails to talk about the legendary Radio Ceylon broadcaster, Vernon Corea. For it was Vernon Corea who helped Clarence Wijewardena, Annesley Malewana and the Moonstones reach a wider audience through his radio programmes over the the airwaves of Radio Ceylon in the 1960s when the Moonstones were yearning to reach the top in the world of music and entertainment.

The Moonstones who hailed from Ratnapura were first managed by Vernon's cousin, Sri Sangabo Corea. Sangey as he is known asked his cousin to help Clarence Wijewardena, Annesley Malewana and the group. Vernon helped them without hesitation - they visited him frequently in Maha Nuge Gardens and Vernon taught them the workings of public relations and marketing and above all he for the first time introduced their music on the English service, the Commercial Service, of Radio Ceylon. This was an absolute first, for Sinhala popular music to feature on English radio programmes in Sri Lanka. In a sense, Radio Ceylon 'discovered' the Moonstones and helped them on their way to stardom.

What's more the Moonstones topped the English charts on Radio Ceylon. They became household names as a result of the exposure on the oldest radio station in South Asia. Vernon also took to the print media to help Clarence and Annesley and wrote the first ever article on the Moonstones in his EMCEE Column in the Ceylon Daily News in the 1960s.

The late Clarence Wijewardena composed 'Piyaneni' as a tribute in song to Vernon's father, Reverend Canon Ivan Corea, who has been the vicar of St.Luke's Church Borella and St.Paul's Church in Milagiriya. Cannon Ivan Corea had served the poorest of the poor - the Rodiya Community in Sri Lanka. Clarence's tribute to Reverend Corea was a moving song about a father's love for his children.

Not only did Vernon help Annesley when he was in Radio Ceylon, in the 1970s he introduced them to London and a new audience of Londoners when he played the music of the Moonstones and the Super Golden Chimes on his popular BBC Radio London 206 programme, 'London Sounds Eastern,' produced by the legendary Keith Yeomans. Many people in London, in the United Kingdom, sent in requests for songs by Clarence Wijewardena and Annesley Malewana.

Whenever Annesley Malewana performs, whether it is in Colombo or in Melbourne he never fails to remember Vernon Corea's acts of kindness - he lifted them up when they were young musicians seeking to reach the top. Whenever Annesley sings 'Piyaneni,' he always thinks about Vernon Corea. Vernon broke down in tears when Clarence and Annesley performed the song to a packed London audience in 1994.

Vernon Corea mentored Sri Lanka's 'King of Pop' the late Clarence Wijewardena who sadly died on December 13th 1996. The early demise of the great Clarence Wijewardena was a loss to the nation as he was a pioneer of Sinhala Pop music.

Clarence Wijewardena, Annesley Malewana and the Moonstones hailed from Ratnapura in Sri Lanka. They were managed by Vernon's cousin, advertising man Sri Sangabo Corea. It was Sri Sangabo Corea who approached his cousin Vernon who was working in Radio Ceylon and asked him to help this new group from Ratnapura. Vernon Corea agreed to mentor Clarence Wijewardena, Annesley Malewana and the group - they visited him at his residence in Maha Nuge Gardens in Kollupitiya in the 1960s. It was the beginning of a very close relationship and friendship with Clarence and Annesley.

The very first news article on the Moonstones was written by Vernon Corea for his EMCEE Column in the Ceylon Daily News. Vernon who had created history by playing Sinhala music for the first time on the English Services of Radio Ceylon soon promoted the music of the Moonstones - 'Dunhinda Manamali,' 'Mango Nanda,' were huge hits over the airwaves of the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon.

Clarence asked Vernon if he would write the notes for an Lotus LP Sleeve. Vernon said: "We have all shared the treat of your lovely Lyrics, your tuneful compositions, your friendly presentation and your spontaneous sense of sharing with your followers, your treasury of talent. Keep going, keep growing, keep glowing".

Clarence and Annesley were frequent visitors to Maha Nuge Gardens when they visited Vernon. It was in Maha Nuge Gardens in Kollupitiya that Clarence and Annesley met Reverend Canon Ivan Corea, Vernon's father, before he died in 1968. Reverend Corea was a gentle human being who had championed the rights of the poor, particularly Sri Lanka's Rodiya Community when he was Vicar of St.Luke's Church, Borella. Clarence composed the heartwarming tribute to a father, 'Piyaneni' in memory of the late Reverend Canon Ivan Corea.

The recording took place one morning in 1972 at the recording studio of Augie Ranaweera in Bambalapitiya. Clarence and Annesley were backed by the Super Golden Chimes. The musicians needed someone to provide music from a Yamaha organ - Vernon contacted the famed Helen Lucas who agreed to play. Her Yamaha organ had to be transported from her home via a lorry to Augie Ranaweera's studio. Clarence had used the Bossa nova rhythm for this beautiful tribute to Reverend Corea.

'Piyaneni' soon became a huge hit in South Asia for Clarence Wijewardena, during his lifetime. The vocals were provided by Annesley Malewana. 'Piyaneni' has been sung by Annesley Malewana at music concerts all over the world. When he sings it Annesley can never forget the help and support of Vernon Corea when they were young musicians yearning to hit the big time in the world of popular music in Sri Lanka.

Annesley recalls: "When we toured England in 1994 to hold musical shows, Vernon Corea who was in England requested me to sing this particular song. When I got on to the stage and started singing Vernon broke down and all of us were moved by this incident. Wherever we go, most people in foreign countries requested me to sing this song. Now I dedicate that song to my late father," he said.

'Piyaneni' is a moving tribute to a caring and loving father and it was composed by Clarence Wijewardena in memory of the kind hearted priest Reverend Canon Ivan Corea.

You can listen to 'Piyaneni' on an mp3 here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tmi3hv