Sudirman (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dato' Sudirman Arshad DSAP JMN AMN AMP
Sudirman in the 1990s
Born	Sudirman bin Arshad (1954-05-25)25 May 1954 Temerloh, Pahang, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died	22 February 1992(1992-02-22) (aged 37) Lucky Garden, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting place	Chengal Muslim Cemetery, Temerloh, Pahang
Nationality	Malaysian
Other names	Sudir
Alma mater	University of Malaya (LLB)
Occupation	Singer, lawyer, actor, writer, businessman, cartoonist, journalist
Years active	1976–1992
Spouse(s)	Datin Kamariah "Kay" Jamaluddin ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1984)​
Parent(s)	Haji Arshad bin Haji Hassan (father) Hajah Romlah binti Dahalan (mother) Hajah Mariam binti Mohamad (stepmother)
Relatives	Datin Rodziah Arshad (sister) Razman Azrai Dato' Zainudin (Atai; nephew)
Musical career
Genres	Malaysian Pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Warnada Record EMI Music Publishing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Associated acts	Zaleha Hamid, Sharifah Aini, Noorkumalasari

Dato' Sudirman bin Haji Arshad, often known simply as Sudirman, was a famous Malaysian singer and songwriter. He was born on May 25, 1954, and passed away on February 22, 1992.

His singing career began after he won the Bintang RTM singing competition on August 11, 1976. His biggest moment came when he was named "Asia's No. 1 Performer" in 1989. He won this title at the 'Asian Popular Music Awards' in London.

Sudirman was known by many nicknames. People called him the "Singing Lawyer" and the "People's Singer." He was also known as the "Patriotic Singer" and even the "Elvis Presley and Claude François of Malaysia." Besides being a great singer, he was also a trained lawyer, a composer, a writer of children's books, a cartoonist, a businessman, and an actor.

Early Life and Education

Sudirman was born in Temerloh, Pahang, on May 25, 1954. He was the youngest of seven children. His father, Arshad Hassan, managed a bus company. His mother, Romlah Dahalan, was a seamstress and the first woman to become a state assemblywoman in Pahang.

Sudirman's love for singing started when he was very young. He would entertain his family and neighbors, who always encouraged him.

He finished his secondary education at Sultan Abu Bakar School (SABS), Kuantan. He turned down a scholarship to study medicine. Instead, he chose to study law at the University of Malaya in 1976. He earned his law degree four years later.

While studying law, he also found time for singing. His big break happened in August 1976. He entered the Johan Bintang RTM singing competition in Malacca. He impressed the audience with his humor and beautiful singing.

Music Career

Sudirman had a clear and strong tenor voice. You could easily recognize his voice whenever his songs played on the radio or TV. He was great at showing emotion through his singing. For example, in "Bercanda di Pasiran Pantai," a duet with Anita Sarawak, his voice showed a smooth, warm quality.

His unique talents helped him win many awards. These included the Bintang RTM Best Singer in 1976. He also won the Muzik-Muzik TV3 Best Performer award. Fans voted him the Most Popular Artist in the Berita Harian Popularity contest.

His songs like "Merisik Khabar," "Milik Siapakah Gadis Ini," and "Salam Terakhir" were very popular. They topped music charts in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. Even today, his songs are often played during National Day and Eid al-Fitr.

Sudirman was the first Malaysian singer to perform at The Paddock at the Hilton in Kuala Lumpur in 1983. He was also a singing ambassador for big companies like Proton and Malaysia Airlines. He was known for being very versatile. He sang Malay, Indian, Chinese, and English songs. He also had amazing dance moves. Sometimes, he would even draw pictures of his fans while singing!

Some groups were not happy with his concert performances. They worried that his songs mixed with Western influences. This led to his concert at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in Bangi being postponed. However, the concert was later allowed to go on. Sudirman's fans showed up in huge numbers.

Sudirman also produced an album for his nephew, Razman Azrai, known as Atai. Atai had a few hit songs in 1985.

In April 1983, Sudirman sang a song called "Mama" for the famous singer Puan Sri Saloma. Saloma was very touched that Sudirman remembered her and made a song just for her.

On April 14, 1986, Sudirman held a free outdoor concert on Chow Kit Road. This was a huge event, with about 100,000 people attending on a Monday night. The crowd was so big that it stopped traffic. Many fans fainted or had trouble breathing and were taken to the hospital. People were not only on the streets but also on rooftops and in trees! A newspaper, The Star, wrote that "Kuala Lumpur came to a standstill" because of Sudirman's amazing performance.

Sudirman's songs always topped the charts. For example, "Merisik Khabar" was number one for two months. Then, "Milik Siapa Gadis Ini" from the same album took its place at the top.

In 1989, Sudirman won "Best Performer" at the Salem Asia Music Award in London. He beat famous singers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and other Asian countries.

He was chosen to perform at the closing ceremony of the 1989 Southeast Asian Games. He also performed at many other national events. He often used his own money to make sure his concerts were successful.

Sudirman also had many fans in Singapore. His concert at the Kallang National Stadium in August 1987 had a huge turnout. People from all walks of life came to see him.

EMI London worked with Sudirman on a song called "Love Will Find a Way." He recorded this song at The Beatles' famous Abbey Road Studios.

Other Talents

Writing

Sudirman Arshad wrote his autobiography called Dari Dalam Sudir (From Inside Sudir). He also wrote a comic book, Sejarah Awal Sudirman (Sudirman's Early History). He drew cartoons and wrote weekly columns for magazines and newspapers.

One of his children's books, "Taming Si Budak Pintar" (Taming The Genius Kid), won an award from Mobil-Mabopa. He was also a journalist and columnist.

Acting

Besides singing and writing, Sudirman also acted in a film called Kami (We). It was released in 1982. The movie was about two orphans who find each other on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. One of the songs from the film, "Pelangi Petang" (Evening Rainbow), became one of his most famous works.

Television Hosting

Sudirman hosted several prime-time TV singing shows like Mekar Sejambak. He also successfully hosted Malaysia's TV game show "Keluarga Bahagia Singer."

Charity Work

Sudirman was known for his charity work. He often invited older artists to perform in his shows and gave them money. He also donated generously to mosques and people in need. He even adopted and raised an Indian boy from a poor family. He actively looked for ways to help others through the Singers, Musicians and Composers Association of Malaysia (PAPITA).

Business Ventures

Sudirman Arshad was Malaysia's first successful singer-entrepreneur. He launched his own carbonated drink called Sudi. Business magazines and TV shows from Australia to Hong Kong featured his drinks. Within six months, Sudi captured a good share of the drink market in Malaysia.

Later, he started his company, SUDI Sdn. Bhd. He opened Sudi Shoppe clothing stores, famous for his signature sunglasses. He also had a restaurant called Restoran Selera Sudi, next to his record studio. His company planned to release canned foods and cooking oils.

He was the first singer to be on the cover of Malaysian Business and Asian Business magazines. He also served as Vice-President of PAPITA.

Sudirman also owned a record studio called Sudirman Productions. It recorded albums for various singers, including his nephew Atai. His companies stopped operating in September 1991, shortly before his death. This was due to financial problems and his worsening health.

Illness and Death

On July 17, 1991, Sudirman was admitted to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur. He had collapsed while singing in Butterworth, Penang. He passed away at 4 a.m. on February 22, 1992, at the age of 37. He died at his sister's house in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, after suffering from pneumonia for seven months.

Thousands of people in Malaysia attended his funeral. His body was taken to his hometown in Temerloh, Pahang. He was buried at Chengal Muslim Cemetery in Temerloh, near his parents' graves.

Sudirman's gravesite at Chengal Muslim Cemetery, Temerloh, Pahang.

Legacy

Sudirman's success brought Malaysians together. He dedicated his win as "Asia's No. 1 Performer" to his country and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The Malaysia Tourism Development Board (MTDC) named Sudirman Arshad 'Malaysia's Singing Ambassador.' He sang the famous MTDC tune, To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia. Singaporean journalists called him the 'Singing Dynamite.' His performances received standing ovations in Australia, Japan, Kuwait, and the United States.

Sudirman's work was recognized with an Anugerah Industri Muzik award after his death. A street in his hometown of Temerloh, Jalan Sudirman, was named after him. PAPITA created a special award in his name, which no one has won yet.

He received a special award in the Malaysian Book of Records along with other famous Malaysians like P Ramlee and Mokhtar Dahari.

On July 26, 2010, The National Choir held a concert to honor Sudirman. In 2011, a documentary about his life, Sudirman Arshad, aired on The History Channel.

In 2014, Malaysia's 57th Independence Day theme was "Disini Lahirnya Sebuah Cinta." This is the first line of Sudirman's famous song "Warisan."

From November 3 to 5, 2016, the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre held a sold-out musical tribute for Sudirman. The Yayasan Sime Darby also created the first-ever Sudirman Scholarship Fund for young talents.

On May 25, 2019, on what would have been his 65th birthday, Sudirman was honored with a Google Doodle.

On August 18, 2022, the National Archive opened a Sudirman Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. It was launched by the Regent of Pahang. On August 31, 2022, Sudirman became the first Malaysian singer to have his own Metaverse.

Awards and Recognitions

• Penghibur TV Terbaik, Anugerah Seri Angkasa, RTM 1978
• "Malaysia's Singing Ambassador" MTDC 1985
• Persembahan Terbaik Anugerah Juara Lagu TV3, 1987
• Malaysia's Indian Music Award, 1987
• Penyanyi Lelaki Popular, Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 1989
• Asia's Number One Performer at the Salem Music Award London, 1989
• Malaysia Guinness Awards
• Ahli Mahkota Pahang by Sultan of Pahang, 1990
• Ahli Mangku Negara by Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1990
• Johan Mangku Negara by Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 1992
• No. 1 Malaysian singer (from New Straits Times)
• Darjah Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (DSAP), carrying the posthumous title of Dato' by Sultan of Pahang, 2009
• "Balik Kampung" voted as Malaysia's best song ever by readers of the Star Online, 2013
• Song "Disini Lahirnya Sebuah Cinta" chosen for National Independence Day theme (Tema Merdeka Malaysia Ke-57), 2014
• Sudirman Scholarship Fund created by Yayasan Sime Darby launched in Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre on November 5, 2016
• In South East Asia Games 2017, Sudirman's song "Balik Kampung" was performed by his nephew 'Atai' and 'Datuk Aznil Hj Nawawi'
• University Malaya launched Sudirman exhibition centre in its library in 2018
• Sudirman Cafe at EDC Hotel KL launched in 2018
• Tun Mahathir on June 14, 2018, mentioned "Selamat Hari Raya" song by Sudirman as his favorite Eid song
• May 25, 2019, Google doodles Sudirman on his birth date
• August 18, 2022, Archive Department, Kamura and Sudirman Asset Management launched "Sudirman Gallery"
• August 31, 2022, Launching of a Malaysian artist first metaverse by Mnstry Mxr

Discography

• Teriring Doa (1976) (EP)
• Aku Penghiburmu (1978)
• Perasaan (1979)
• Anak Muda (1980)
• Lagu Anak Desa (1981)
• Lagu Dari Kota (1981)
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (1981)
• Abadi (1982)
• Lagu Cinta (1982)
• Images (1983)
• Orang Baru (1984)
• Lagu Dari Sebuah Bilik (1984)
• Orang Kampung (1986)
• Kul it! (1986)
• Asia’s No. 1 Performer (1989)

Other famous songs include Tanggal 31 Ogos and Tegakkan Bendera Kita.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Sudirman Arshad para niños