Wally Bastian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wally Bastian | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wellington Mervin Bastian |
| Origin | Sri Lanka |
| Genre(s) | baila |
| Occupation(s) | singer |
| Years active | 1940s |
| Label(s) | Sooriya |
Wellington Mervin Bastian was a Sri Lankan singer who developed the style of chorus baila in the 1940s.
Bastianz was a police officer who played in a marching band when he began his music career. Drawing from his orchestral roots, he transformed the tunes of standards like "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "Hinky Pinky Parley Voo" into classic baila songs.
His songs dealt with everyday life and simple people. One of his hits was an ode to a nurse named Nona and another covered the trial of jilted lover Eric Bacho. He sang several songs in English.
