Chế Linh

Chế Linh (; b. 1942) is a Vietnamese popular singer, songwriter. An ethnic Cham, his stage name Chế Linh is a Vietnamese transcription of his Cham name. However, like many Cham people, he also has an official Vietnamese legal name, Lưu Văn Liên.

He rose to fame in the 1960s and is considered one of the four most renowned male voices of early Vietnamese bolero music ("Tứ trụ nhạc vàng"), each with a distinct style. The other three are Duy Khánh, Nhật Trường, and Hùng Cường.

Early life

In 1958, when Che Linh was 16 years old, President Ngo Dinh Diem forbade the teaching of the Cham language in the Cham villages. The Cham language was a prestige language considered a second language since the Bảo Đại’s era.

This discrimination toward the minority group created conflict between the Chams and the Kinh inhabitants. When the Chams came to town, they were stopped and being persecuted. Che Linh was injured on several incidents. The government ignored these incidents.

Che Linh moved to Saigon where he found a small job with a respected employer. After nine months, Che Linh decided to go back to school. He attended Bo De and later Nguyen Cong Tru.

Career

1960-1961

Biet Chinh Biên Hòa Musical Group was selecting new singers to entertain a far-away village in the Biên Hòa Province.

Che Linh participated and won first prize. Not considering singing as a career at the time, but only because the pay is considerably high.  Two years later, the group faded and dissolved and Che Linh became a driver for heavy construction organization in Bien Hoa.  The love for music and as a hobby, Che Linh continues to learn the music, train his voice and composed several songs. Che Linh's musical career strongly excelled, and his first two songs were born: "Dem buon tinh le” and “Dem buoc co don”

Recognizing that music is the shortest way to bring understanding between the Kinh and the Chams and all the other ethnic groups, Che Linh promised to continue and excel in the musical industry. With his effort and talents, Che Linh became a famous star and had sung together with many artists such as Anh Ngọc, Duy Khánh, Thái Thanh, Thanh Thúy, Minh Hiếu, Tùng Lâm. Continental Productions produced his first record, "Vùng Biển Trời Và Màu Áo Em”. Che Linh then signed with several Viet Nam Record Companies.

1964-1965

He produced and wrote many songs.

1972

Awarded by Kim Khánh for Best Male Artist/Vocal which was organized by the Daily Newspaper Trang Den. The Government of South Vietnam then forbade Che Linh's voice and songs during the summer war period.

1975

Che Linh was hoping to have his music released from the forbidden list, however he was jailed as a revolutionary at Song Mao, then My Duc.

1978

He was released from prison 28 months later.

1980

Escaped to Malaysia and later settled in Canada where he now resides in Toronto, and where he is presently performing, singing, writing and producing music.

21st century

His songs stay popular both domestically and among Viet diasporas. In 2007 he performed in Vietnam again after decades abroad, during an event hosted by UNESCO. From 2011 onward he returned to Vietnam for several tours.

Compositions

All of Che Linh's songs which he wrote goes under the name of Tu Nhi.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Che Linh
1942 births
Living people
20th-century Vietnamese male singers
Vietnamese Cham people
Vietnamese Hindus
People from Ninh Thuận province
Vietnamese emigrants to Canada