Reggie Verghese

Reggie Verghese was a well-known Singaporean musician and record producer, known as Singapore's first guitar hero of the 1960s.[1] During the 1960s, he was a member of The Quests.[2][3] He later moved into production, producing work for acts such as Matthew and the Mandarins, Frankie Cheah, Anita Sarawak, Western Union Band, Jennifer Yen and Tracy Huang.

Reggie Verghese
OriginSingapore
Died17 June 2015
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Guitar

Career

Around 1963, while still in secondary school, he was a member of a group called The Checkmates.[4] In 1964, the guitarist for The Quests, Raymond Leong who had left the group to pursue studies. Verghese took his place. In a matter of months, the group had a no.1 hit with" Shanty". His guitar playing in the song attracted a lot of attention. Along with Jap Chong, sharing the vocals, he stayed with the group throughout all of the line up changes until the group's break up in 1971. He then moved into production.[5]

Production

In 1977, Verghese produced the debut album for The Western Union Band which had evolved out of a 1960s group called The Rubber Band. The album, a self-titled album contained the songs "Sausolito" and "Howzit".[6] He produced the self-titled album for Matthew & The Mandarins which was released on EMI and contained the song "Singapore Cowboy".[7] The song would eventually become a big hit in Singapore, reaching no. 1.[8] Verghese also produced their next album II which was released in 1979, also on EMI.[9]

In 1984,

Together with Ken Lim and three other partners, Verghese formed Boogie Productions Pte Ltd and took over the recording studio and equipment from EMI Singapore Pte Ltd which had closed down.[10]

Death

Having suffered had heart and liver problems for a few years, Verghese died of heart failure in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on Wednesday 17 June 2015.[11][12]

Discography
Album
Act Title Release Year Notes #
Reg Guitar Guitar Sound Of Hit Tunes Regal SREG-9525 1971
Reg Guitar Guitar Sound Of Hit Tunes Vol.III Regal SREG-9541 1972
Reg Guitar Guitar Sound Of Hit Tunes Vol.6 Regal SREG-9828 1974
Reg Guitar Kung Fu Regal SREG 9815 1974 [13]

References
  1. Billboard, 27 July 1996 - Page 59 Global Music Pulse, Singapore: - Edited by David Sinclair
  2. Today, Friday 27 April 2018 - The Quests’ guitarist Reggie Verghese dies By Christopher Toh
  3. AsiaOne, 4 March 2014 - The Quests' Jap Chong dies from heart attack by Melody Zaccheus
  4. The Straits Times, 17 June 2015 - The Quests' guitarist Reggie Verghese dies of heart failure - Eddino Abdul Hadi
  5. Toh, Christopher (17 June 2015). "The Quests' guitarist Reggie Verghese dies". TODAY. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  6. The Rocky Road: Autobiography By Mr Boogie Woogie, By Rockin Dave - -
  7. Discogs - Matthew* & The Mandarins – Matthew And The Mandarins
  8. Bandwagon - Matthew & The Mandarins, Biography
  9. Discogs - Matthew* & The Mandarins – II
  10. "LET'S BOOGIE!". Singapore Monitor. 16 August 1984. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. The Straits Times, 17 June 2015 - The Quests' guitarist Reggie Verghese dies of heart failure - Eddino Abdul Hadi
  12. Today, Friday 27 April 2018 - The Quests’ guitarist Reggie Verghese dies By Christopher Toh
  13. Discogs - Reggie Verghese, Reggie Verghese Discography, Albums
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