Sam Hui

Last updated

Sam Hui
Chinese :許冠傑
Sam Hui 20240331 (cropped).jpg
Sam Hui in 2024
Born (1948-09-06) 6 September 1948 (age 75)
Other namesHui Koon-kit, Samuel Hui
Education The University of Hong Kong (B.SocSc., 1971)
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actor
Years active1967–1992
2003–present
Spouse
Rebecca Hui
(m. 1971)
Children2
Parents
  • Hui Sai-cheung (father)
  • Lee Sin-wan (mother)
Relatives
Awards Hong Kong Film AwardsBest Original Film Song
1991 The Swordsman

Musical career
Also known asGod of Songs (歌神), Brother Sam
Origin Hong Kong
Genres Cantopop, Hong Kong English pop
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Labels Diamond Records (1967)
Polydor (1971–1983)
Contec Sound (1983–1985)
Cinepoly Records (1985–1990)
PolyGram (1990–1992)
IEC (2007–present)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Website www.samhuiofficial.com

Samuel Hui Koon-kit [1] [2] (born 6 September 1948), [1] usually known as Sam Hui, [1] [3] is a Hong Kong musician, singer, songwriter and actor. He is credited with popularising Cantopop both via the infusion of Western-style music and his usage of vernacular Cantonese rather than written vernacular Chinese in biting lyrics that addressed contemporary problems and concerns. [4] Hui is considered by some to be the first major superstar of Cantopop, known as the God of Song. [5] As an actor, he is well-known for portraying the main character "King Kong" in five installments of the Aces Go Places film series. [6] [ better source needed ]

Contents

Early life

Hui was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China in 1948. His parents were both musicians; his father was a traditional Chinese musician while his mother was a Chinese opera singer. In 1950, along with his three older brothers, Michael, Ricky, and Stanley, Hui and his parents arrived in Hong Kong as refugees in 1950, originally living in Diamond Hill. [7] Hui graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong, [8] Ying Wa College and St. Francis Xavier's College, Tai Kok Tsui in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Hui worked with Michael and Ricky on several comedies in the early 1970s. Hui has also gained credit for popularising Cantopop, by incorporating the idiosyncrasies of Western popular music into the old Cantopop genre. [9]

Career

Singer

In the 1960s, Hui began his singing career. In 1967, Hui joined record label Diamond Records. [10]

Hui started his television career as a host on a youth music TV show on the TVB network. Hui and his brother Michael Hui became hosts in the Hui Brothers Show , which premiered on April 23, 1971. [11]

Hui became the lead musician of a band The Lotus.

In the 1970s, Hui performed English songs that were popular in Britain and the United States. He wrote the theme songs for the comedies produced by his brother, Michael Hui, and started performing Cantonese songs. Sam Hui's first Cantonese hit, "Eiffel Tower Above the Clouds" (鐵塔凌雲) – originally titled "Here and Now" (就此模樣) – was first played on the Hui Brothers Show in April 1972. [12]

Hui signed a contract with Polydor and produced his first single in English, "April Lady". [13]

Hui's first Cantonese album, Games Gamblers Play (Chinese :鬼馬雙星; Jyutping :gwai2 maa5 soeng1 sing1; Cantonese Yale :gwái máh sēung sīng; lit.'Ghost Horse (Cantonese slang for "Goofy") Twin Stars'), was the partial soundtrack to the Michael Hui-directed film of the same name. [13] This album became popular, selling 200,000 copies, and was one of the major musical works that helped to start the popularity of Cantopop. [14]

Hui's music gained popular appeal, particularly with the working class, for its simplicity and the relevance of the lyrics. A prolific songwriter, a noted recurring theme in his music is that it often describes or humorously satirises Hong Kong society and events.

In 1976, Hui's singing and acting career took off after the release of the breakout album The Private Eyes, the soundtrack to the 1976 film The Private Eyes. [15]

In the album The Private Eyes, it humorously reflected on the harsh realities of middle and lower-income Hong Kongers. Others such as "Song of Water Use" (制水歌), which referenced the days of water rationing during the 1960s, and "Could Not Care Less About 1997" (話知你97), which encouraged Hong Kong people to adopt a carpe diem attitude instead of worrying about the imminent handover to the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997, were more topical in nature and referenced local events. While some of his songs are lighthearted, others carried philosophical messages brought out through artful use of Chinese words that have multiple symbolism. Examples can be seen in his farewell song in 1992 and "From the Heart of a Loafer" (浪子心聲), where for Cantopop, the sophisticated language and messages were rare in the lyrics of contemporary artists.

On June 17, 1979, Hui became the first singer from Hong Kong to perform at the Tokyo Music Festival. [16]

Film

Hui signed a contract with Golden Harvest in 1971. [10] On a personal note, Hui is closer to his middle brother Ricky (deceased 8 November 2011) than to their oldest brother Michael. Sam and Michael reportedly fell out with each other after their pre-1985 successes.[ citation needed ] However, in Michael's Chicken and Duck Talk (1988), Hui appeared in a short 1-minute cameo, playing the role of himself as master of ceremonies at the grand opening of Danny's Chicken, and contributed to its theme song for its end credits entitled "You Have Your Say" (你有你講). Then in 1990, the three brothers reunited in Front Page , a lampoon on Hong Kong's sometimes over-zealous entertainment news industry. Hui also collaborated with several popular singers such as Leslie Cheung both musically and on-screen culminating in the hit single written by Hui and composed by Cheung entitled Silence is Golden (沉默是金), which Cheung also sung as a solo track on his 1987 album, Hot Summer , as well as the catchy tune, I've Never Been Afraid (我未驚過) in 1989 as the end theme for Aces Go Places 5: The Terracotta Hit .

Hui also starred in the Aces Go Places , a series of Hong Kong action–comedies in the 1980s, with Karl Maka.

He was once seriously injured while filming The Legend of Wisely in Tibet due to lack of oxygen, thereafter falling very ill and many of his fans pointed out that this near fatal accident may have been pivotal on his decision to retire as they superstitiously believed that he was haunted by a spirit.[ citation needed ]

Retirement

During the late 1980s, Hui's father advised him to retire to avoid the stresses he endured from hosting concerts. Hui's "lack of oxygen" suffered on a previous film, was actually carbon monoxide poisoning. His mother purportedly also had reservations about his performing, including that he might injure himself on stage.[ citation needed ]

A Hong Kong concert in 1990 supposedly marked his early retirement, however Hui then agreed to host a 42-show concert series. Around the time of the 30th show, Hui's father died but despite his grief, he continued to host.[ citation needed ]

Farewell concerts

In 1991 to 1992, Hui held a many farewell concerts. Hui hosted a total of 14 shows in Hong Kong preempting his actual retirement. [15]

Hui is known as the Canto-pop godfather and the Elvis Presley of Hong Kong. [15]

Hui also hosted shows in Canada, in Vancouver, at the Pacific Coliseum, and Toronto, Ontario, which he dedicated to his late father. Despite reiterating his plans for retirement, Hui came back for a short stint in the movie Winner Takes All co-starring Nicholas Tse and Ruby Lin. This he maintained, was a result of being unable to ignore his heart's desire.

The handprint and autograph of Sam Hui at the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong Sam Hui's handprint.JPG
The handprint and autograph of Sam Hui at the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong

Widely acclaimed as the "God of Song" in Hong Kong (the first singer to be so acknowledged), he decided to come out of retirement in 2004 and held multiple comeback concerts in which he was welcomed by a Hong Kong public at sell-out shows. In these concerts, he paid tribute to his recent passed close colleagues, Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui in 2003 and claimed that their deaths had influenced his decision to return to performing, culminating in his 2004 comeback song '04 Bless You ('04 祝福你). Hui performed in a concert in Kuala Lumpur on 19 and 20 February 2005 with his brother, Ricky Hui, and sons but has not made active plans for any follow-ups. He also performed in Vancouver on 15 December 2005 and in Singapore on 29 March 2008.[ citation needed ]

In 2007, Hui signed with EC Music and released his first album in 17 years, named "Life is Good" (人生多麼好). [17]

Personal life

In December 1971, Hui married Rebecca "Rebu" Fleming, a Filipino-American. They have two sons, Ryan Hui and Scott Hui. Hui and his family live in Hong Kong. [18] [19] [20] Ryan Hui is a singer-songwriter and has released several albums, and Scott Hui is a film director. [19] [20]

Discography

Cantonese albums

English albums

Filmography

Films

[23] [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Cheung</span> Hong Kong singer and actor (1956–2003)

Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, born Cheung Fat-chung, was a Hong Kong singer and actor. One of the most influential cultural icons in the Chinese world, Cheung was known for his debonair demeanor, flamboyant screen characters, and avant-garde, androgynous stage presence. Throughout his 26-year career, he released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films.

Cantopop is a genre of pop music sung in Cantonese. Cantopop is also used to refer to the cultural context of its production and consumption. The genre began in the 1970s and became associated with Hong Kong popular music from the middle of the decade. Cantopop then reached its height of popularity in the 1980s and 1990s before slowly declining in the 2000s and shrinking in the 2010s. The term "Cantopop" itself was coined in 1978 after "Cantorock", a term first used in 1974. In the 1980s, Cantopop reached its highest glory with fanbase and concerts all over the world, especially in Macau, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. This was even more obvious with the influx of songs from Hong Kong movies during the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Yeh</span> Musical artist

Sally Yeh, sometimes credited as Sally Yip or Yip Sin-man, is a Hong Kong Cantopop diva and actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacky Cheung</span> Hong Kong singer and actor (born 1961)

Jacky Cheung Hok-yau is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Cheung is widely regarded as a Heavenly King of Cantopop music, and an icon of Hong Kong popular culture. He is often dubbed as the "God of Songs" for his vocal delivery and live performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priscilla Chan (singer)</span> Hong Kong pop singer

Priscilla Chan Wai-han is a Hong Kong-based veteran Cantopop singer. She is renowned for her contralto singing voice and her maturely clear, technically skilled, and emotion-rich vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Yung</span> Hong Kong singer and actress

Joey Yung is a Hong Kong singer signed to Emperor Entertainment Group. Since her debut in 1996, Yung has won numerous awards, including the JSG Most Popular Female Singer and Ultimate Best Female Singer – Gold awards a record-breaking nine times. She was ranked 63rd on the 2014 Forbes China Celebrity 100, making her the most influential Hong Kong-based female singer that year. In 2014, she reportedly earned HK$80 million (US$10.3 million).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Charles Rivers</span> Australian-Hong Kong actor (1965–2024)

Gregory Charles Rivers, also known by his Chinese name Ho Kwok-wing, was an Australian-Hong Kong actor. He was known for his roles in various TVB series, and was dubbed "TVB's token gweilo" for his frequent appearances as stereotypical Caucasian characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eason Chan</span> Hong Kong singer and actor

Eason Chan Yick Shun is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He is one of the most popular and influential singers in both Cantopop and Mandopop. Besides holding the record for winning the "Ultimate Male Singer – Gold" award and "My Favorite Male Singer" award at the "Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation" in HK, he is also holding the record for being nominated for and winning prestigious Golden Melody Awards "Best Male Mandarin Singer" in Taiwan. Chan was ranked sixth in the 2013 Forbes China Celebrity Top 100 List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wong Jim</span> Hong Kong lyricist and songwriter (1941–2004)

James Wong Jim was a Cantopop lyricist and songwriter based primarily in Hong Kong. Beginning from the 1960s, he was the lyricist for over 2,000 songs, collaborating with songwriter Joseph Koo on many popular television theme songs, many of which have become classics of the genre. His work propelled Cantopop to unprecedented popularity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Tam</span> Hong Kong singer

Alan Tam Wing-lun is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He played a major role in developing the Cantopop scene in the 1980s as he was known for singing romantic ballads with modern arrangements. From 1983 to 1987, Alan Tam received numerous music awards and won Most Popular Male Artist and IFPI Award for successive four years, which made him the most famous superstar singer of Hong Kong in 1980s. In early 1988, he publicly quit all pop music award ceremonies and put most efforts in searching new direction for Cantopop music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Hong Kong</span>

The Music of Hong Kong is an eclectic mixture of traditional and popular genres. Cantopop is one of the more prominent genres of music produced in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta regularly perform western classical music in the city. There is also a long tradition of Cantonese opera within Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Hui</span> Hong Kong actor and singer (1946-2011)

Richard Hui Koon-ying was a Hong Kong actor and singer. He along with his brothers, Michael and Sam, made several comedy blockbusters in the 1970s and 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Maka</span> Hong Kong actor and director

Karl Maka is a Hong Kong film producer, director, actor and presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Lam</span> Hong Kong singer-songwriter, music producer and actor

George Lam Tsz-Cheung, also known professionally by his surname Lam, is a Hong Kong-based veteran Cantopop singer, singer-songwriter, music producer and actor, with a career that has so far lasted more than four decades. Lam produces most of his own albums, writes many of his own songs, occasionally writes for other artists, and covers other people's songs. Lam has a wide vocal range and is capable of interpreting and performing many different genres of music. He is heavily involved with planning and designing his concerts and his LP/CD covers. He was the one who came up with the first Cantopop rap, "Ah Lam's Diary", and he also pioneered the stringing together of multiple hit Cantopop songs to create a 10-minute long medley which is called "10 Minutes 12 Inches". In 2019, Lam interwove his songs together to put on a musical-like concert, Lamusical.

<i>Aces Go Places 2</i> 1983 Hong Kong action comedy film

Aces Go Places 2 is a 1983 Hong Kong action-comedy film directed by Eric Tsang and starring Sam Hui, Karl Maka, Sylvia Chang. The film has also been dubbed into English and re-edited and was released overseas as Mad Mission II. The film is the second installment in the Aces Go Places film series.

<i>Aces Go Places</i> 1982 Hong Kong action comedy film

Aces Go Places,, also known in the United States as Diamondfinger or Mad Mission, is a 1982 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Eric Tsang, and starring Samuel Hui and Karl Maka.

<i>Aces Go Places 3</i> 1984 Hong Kong action comedy film

Aces Go Places 3, also known under the titles Aces Go Places 3 - Our Man from Bond Street and Mad Mission III, is a 1984 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Tsui Hark as the third installment in the Aces Go Places film series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Wong Pak-ming</span> Hong Kong actor, (adult)film director, producer, screenwriter, and presenter

Raymond Wong Pak-ming is a Hong Kong film producer, playwright, director and actor. He is one of the most successful producers in Hong Kong cinema, having been one of the comedians to establish Cinema City Studios in 1980.

<i>Naughty, Naughty</i> (1974 film) Hong Kong film

Naughty! Naughty! is a 1974 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Lo Wei. It stars Sam Hui as a young con-man.

Peter Lai is a Hong Kong lyricist and actor.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "In pictures: Canto-pop superstar Sam Hui's 40 years in the limelight". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  2. "Knock Off". Sight and Sound. Vol. 9, no. 7–12. British Film Institute. 1999. p. 43. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. Chu 2017.
  4. How TVMost show made its audience feel like Hongkongers, EJInsight, 12 Jan 2016
  5. Tony Mitchell. "Tian Ci – Faye Wong and English Songs in the Cantopop and Mandapop Repertoire". Local Noise. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012.
  6. Gilman, Sean (12 August 2019). "The Aces Go Places Series". Medium. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  7. Man 1998, p. 85.
  8. Chun, Allen John Uck Lun; Rossiter, Ned; Shoesmith, Brian (2004). Refashioning pop music in Asia: cosmopolitan flows, political tempos, and aesthetic industries. Routledge. p. 146. ISBN   0-7007-1401-4.
  9. Liu, Tao Tao; Faure, David (1996). Unity and diversity: local cultures and identities in China. Hong Kong University Press. p. 184. ISBN   962-209-402-3.
  10. 1 2 Yip 1994, p. 12.
  11. Chu 2017, p. 201.
  12. Chu 2017, p. 48.
  13. 1 2 Man 1998, p. 86.
  14. Chik 2010, p. 512.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Wright, Adam (21 October 2016). "In pictures: Canto-pop superstar Sam Hui turns 70". scmp.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  16. Chu 2017, p. 204.
  17. Seto, Kit Yan (24 January 2008). "Life is good for Samuel Hui". The Star . Archived from the original on 27 January 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  18. "Rebecca Fleming". myheritage.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  19. 1 2 Yip, Wai Yee (2 June 2014). "A family affair". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  20. 1 2 Yan, Lim Ruey (31 January 2020). "'Father of Cantopop' Sam Hui is a grandfather again". straitstimes.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  21. "Naughty! Naughty! (1974)". whatismymovie.com. 1974. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  22. "笑傲江湖 (1990) Swordsman". hkmdb.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  23. "Samuel Hui". imdb.com. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  24. "Sam Hui". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
Awards
Preceded by
Lau Dong
Golden Needle Award of RTHK Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award
1985
Succeeded by