A FAREWELL TO LEGENDS

Veteran singer and much-loved National Artist Pongsri Woranuch, often referred to as the first "Queen of Luk Thung", died on Sunday at the age of 85.

- JOHN CLEWLEY

Blessed with a crystal clear and distinctive voice, she made her debut in 1955 at the tender age of 16. Her first song was Huajai Mai Mee Khrai Khrong, which became a hit. She then joined the genre's biggest star of the time, Suraphon Sombatcharoen and his band, creating a male-female lead singer style that proved popular in the 1960s. Her time with Suraphon led to her nickname as the "Queen of Luk Thung".

She released a string of hits including Wiman Nai Fun, Namta Mia Luang, Duan Pitsawat and later, her biggest hit Rot Duan. Many of her songs are used to train young luk thung singers and she became a role model for the likes of Pumpuang Duangjan, Buppa Saichon and Sunaree Ratchasima.

In one of several interviews I had with Pongsri over the years, she told me about her rift with Suraphon and how that led to a split between the two. In the end, she left to form her own band.