Dharmaratne Brothers

Last updated
Dharmaratne Brothers
OriginCollege Street Kotahena, Sri Lanka
Genres Sri Lankan music
Years active1967present
LabelsPhillips
Sooriya
MembersMelroy Dharmaratne
Maxwell Dharmaratne
Christie Dharmaratne
Past membersRonald Dharmaratne

Dharmaratne Brothers was an influential Sri Lankan music group, composed of the brothers Christie, Maxwell, Melroy and Ronald Dharmaratne. They were the first all family Sinhala pop group, and racked up several hits in the late '60s and early '70s.

Contents

Early years

The brothers first began singing together at family gatherings. By 1967, they had decided to pursue a musical career. They sang on stage for the first time at "Asiri Kusum," a fund raiser for St. Bridget's Convent. They shared the bill with other harmony vocal groups like La Ceylonians, Moonstones, La Lavinians, Los Flamingos, Humming Birds, La Bambas, Los Muchachos and Trio Los Serenaders. [1] In July, the following year, the group recorded some songs written by Melroy on the Phillips Label (after being discovered by Patrick Corea), that included "Vessa Wahinawa," "Punchi Hurathala," and "Kandukare." These proved to be successes, each selling over 3,000 copies. [2]

Success

The Dharmaratne Brothers next recorded for the Sooriya label, and had hits with "Varsity Kello", "Suhada Pathum", "Sahodarayo Hathardena" and "Kellani me Ahapalla." [3] Around this time, in the early '70s, their niece Shiromie Fernando also entered the music field, and had hits of her own. [4]

With the popularity of the group, Melroy got the chance to write songs for other popular musicians of the time. He was particularly happy to work with his idol H. R. Jothipala. For Jothipala, Melroy composed "Oba Nidanna," "Mal Ethano," "Gangawai-Mahamuhudai," and "Malin Peeregiya" among others. [5]

Dissolution and comeback

Over the years the group slowly drifted apart; Christie accepted a job in the Middle East in 1978 causing the group to go on hiatus, and Ronald died in 1987 in a bus accident. [6] In recent years, the three remaining group members have reconvened and regained some of their early popularity. In addition to music, Melroy has done directing work for films and stage dramas, written television and film script writing and has worked as a freelance journalist for several publications including Lake House. He has also authored several novels. [7]

Notes

  1. Perera, Mahes. "Back with their halcyon hits" Archived 2005-05-06 at the Wayback Machine . Sunday Observer. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  2. Gamage, Anjana. "Dharmaratne Bros. to bring back lilting melodies of the past" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine . Daily News. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  3. Gamage, Anjana. "Dharmaratne Bros. to bring back lilting melodies of the past" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine . Daily News. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  4. Perera, Mahes. "Back with their halcyon hits" Archived 2005-05-06 at the Wayback Machine . Sunday Observer. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  5. Gamage, Anjana. "Dharmaratne Bros. to bring back lilting melodies of the past" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine . Daily News. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  6. Perera, Mahes. "Back with their halcyon hits" Archived 2005-05-06 at the Wayback Machine . Sunday Observer. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  7. Daily Mirror. "Milroy's 35 years of Songs" Archived 2005-02-16 at the Wayback Machine . Daily Mirror. Retrieved November 19, 2006.

Related Research Articles

Karunaratne Abeysekera

Karunaratne Abeysekera was one of Sri Lanka's most famous Sinhala broadcasters. He was also a poet and songwriter and was widely admired for his excellent command of Sinhala.

Kamal Addararachchi – කමල් අද්දරආරච්චි is a Sri Lankan film and teledrama actor, singer and presenter. He made his debut as an actor in Gamini Fonseka's 1981 film Sagarayak Meda, whilst he was a still a student at school. Since the late 1970s, he has appeared in a variety of roles in many films and teledramas. Addararachchi, has acted in over 40 films, 20 teledramas and 6 stage plays, and won the Sarasaviya Best Actor Award for his role of Sobana in Agnidahaya in 2002.

H. R. Jothipala

Hettiarachchige Reginald Jothipala, popularly as H. R. Jothipala, was a Sri Lankan playback singer in the Sinhala cinema as well as a film actor. Considered as the best playback singer in Sri Lankan film history, Jothipala lent his voice to all classes of actors ranging from Eddie Jayamanne to Ranjan Ramanayake. He also worked as an opera singer. He died in July 1987 at the age of 51 year from cardiac arrest.

Sumanasiri Mallawarachchi Don, popularly known as Milton Mallawarachchi, was a Sri Lankan singer and musician. One of the most respected singers in Sri Lankan music history, Mallawarachchi was a trending act in Sri Lanka for more than a decade, performing nearly a total of 850 songs with over 35 albums. He is also known to be a music composer for most of his songs, a film play-back singer for the silver screen, a talent tabla and sitar player.

De Mazenod College (DMC), founded in 1914, is a Catholic school in Kandana, Sri Lanka, managed by the De La Salle Brothers. De Mazenod College is a mixed school and has classes from grade 1 to grade 13. Classes are conducted in Sinhala as well as English. Girls are admitted to the school from grade 6 upwards.

Jayasinghe Arachchige Milton Perera, popularly known as Milton Perera, was a singer, composer and playback singer of Sri Lankan cinema. One of the most respected artists in Sri Lanka, Milton Perera rendered his voice to diverse array of artists as a playback singer for many films in a career spanned for more than three decades. He was the leading playback singer of Sri Lankan cinema during the 1960s and 1970s.

Chitral Somapala Sri Lankan singer and musician

Peragaswatte Chandana Chitral Somapala, aka Chity Somapala, is a Sri Lankan hard rock and heavy metal vocalist and a music director. He is known for his work with European power metal bands Firewind, Power Quest, Avalon, Faro, Red Circuit, and Civilization One. Somapala gained popularity in his home country due to his Sinhala track "Nadee Ganga" which was released in 1998.

Nalin Jayawardena is a popular Sri Lankan singer and vocalist. He was the first Sri Lankan singer to release an internet based audio album in Sinhala allowing his fans from around the world to download the album free of charge. This album titled Kanda Paamule was released in 2004. Nalin Jayawardena lives in Perth, Australia.

Stanley Peiris was a Sri Lankan musician and musical composer.

Rohana Weerasinghe Sri Lankan musician, composer and singer (born 1949)

DR. Rohana Weerasinghe is a Sri Lankan musician, composer and singer.

<i>Anjalika</i> Film

Anjalika is a 2006 Sinhala romance film. It was written by Mahesh Rathsara and directed by Channa Perera. The film features Channa Perera, Pooja Umashankar and Anarkali Akarsha in the leading roles while Rex Kodippili, and Sanath Gunathilake play key supporting roles. It was produced by Malith Palliyaguruge, the film had music scored by Rohana Weerasinghe. The film marked the debut acting by Kollywood actress Pooja in Sinhala cinema. Popular television presenter, Narada Bakmeewewa also made his cinema debut with the film.

Dharmasiri Gamage was a journalist, poet, writer and film director.

Sooriya Records

Sooriya Records Sinhala: සූරිය is a Sri Lankan record label founded by Gerald and Dulcie Wickremesooriya in 1968.

<i>Heart FM</i> (film) Sri Lankan film

Heart FM is a 2008 Sri Lankan Sinhala family drama film directed by Senesh Dissanaike Bandara and produced by Soma Edirisinghe for EAP Films. It stars Gayan Wickramathillaka, Kanchana Mendis and Sachini Ayendra in lead roles along with Aruna Liyan and Mahendra Perera. Music co-composed by Centigradz and Nawarathne Gamage. EAP Group also celebrated 50th anniversary of E.A.P. films with the production of this film. It is the 1099th Sri Lankan film in the Sinhala cinema.

Gerald Wickremesooriya

Gerald Wickremesooriya is the founder of the Sooriya Record label that produced many popular hits from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.

Nirosha Virajini

Virajini Lalithya de Silva, also known as Nirosha Virajini is a Sri Lankan award-winning singer, musician and music director with a career spanning over 23 years.

Bajjala Walawwe Gretien Ananda Abeykoon, also as Gration Ananda or Greshan Ananda, was a Sri Lankan singer, composer, songwriter and a lyricist. Considered as the best Sinhalese film score musician to have emerged in the country since the veteran artist the Late H.R. Jothipala, Ananda sang for more than 400 films with a musical career that spanned nearly three decades.

Kala Suri Gnai Seenar Bangsajayah,, popularly known as G. S. B. Rani, was a Sri Lankan actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater as well as a songstress, politician and a media personality. She was one of the most popular playback singers in early Sri Lankan cinema industry with a career spanned over five decades.

Kala Keerthi Madurawela Arachchilage Christy Leonard Perera [Sinhala]), popularly as Christy Leonard Perera, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema as well as a musician and comedian.

Deepa Milton Sarath Dassanayake, popularly known as Sarath Dassanayake, was a Sri Lankan composer, film producer and a renowned musician. One of the pioneer music composers in Sinhala cinema, Dassanayake has contributed to more than around 150 films and 600 film songs as a composer.