SINN Sisamouth: the man with a golden voice

by: Kanha CHOEUK

SINN Sisamouth - photo from www.angkoriansociety.com

          

Sinn Sisamouth is a famous singer during 1950s-1970s. People knew him with a golden voice. He was successful with his study and his business by writing songs. After he died, he stayed in the people’s heart.

Born in August 23, 1932 in Stung Treng province, Sinn Sisamouth is a kind person, full of emotion and sympathy for the other people. He is a quiet person; does not talk too much, spend most of his time locked in room writing songs.  Most people said he is soft and have a sweet voice. His father is name Sinn Leang and his mother is name Seb Bunlei. He was the youngest of four siblings. His father was a prison warden in Battambang province then was a soldier during the colonial Cambodia period, His father died because of disease then his mother remarried and had two more children (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_Sisamouth ,2006).

At five years old, he studied at Stung Trang elementary school, and at the age of six or seven, he started to show interest in guitar and always perform at school when there is a ceremony. By the time he was fifteen or sixteen, he had completed primary school and received his "Certificat D'etude Primaire".  At this time, he had an option of either joining the work force or pursuing further education to strengthen his skills.  He decided he wanted to study for a career in medicine, and he moved to Phnom Penh for that purpose in 1950-51. (http://khmermusic.thecoleranch.com/sisamouth_links.html). 

Despite the rigorous demands of medical school, Samouth still managed to find time to learn how to sing and compose songs. Just as he had in elementary school, he became well known in his school for his musical skills and lyrical talent, and was asked to sing at school ceremonies. (http://www.khmeroldies.org/singer/sin-sisamouth, 2011)

He continued to work as a singer and write songs. After he finished medical school, he married Keo Thorng Gnut and had four children, but one of his sons was killed during Khmer rouge regime.  He married twice because his wife left her to become a nun.

He became a famous singer and songwriter in the1950s to the1970s. In early 1950s he became a protégé of Queen Kossomak Nearyrath. He was selected into the Vong Phleng Preah Troap (Classical ensemble of the Royal Treasury) where together with Sos Matt, he performed at Royal receptions and state functions. He knew genres such as: Psychedelic rock, Garage rock, Traditional Khmer music, Romvong saravan, Jazz, Bosanova, Twist, Jerk, Latin, Blues, Cha cha cha, Madizon, Hala Hala, Ago go, and flim music. He is a singer, Lyric and music composer, blndleader, producer, flim producer. His active when he became a singer was from 1957-1975. Furthermore, He had associated acts with Ros Serey Sothea, Pan Ron, So Savoeun, Houy Meas, and Haim Sovann.

In the mid of 1950s a romantic ballad “ Violon Snaha”, composed by violinist Hass Salan, catapulted Sisamouth into stardom. In recent years the song has been re-issued by a large number of modern performers, including Song Seng Horn, who comes from Rhode Island, Molkamach ( a singer and guitarist of the 1960s who escaped the khmer rouge rule and is now living in France), Nay Sieng( a Khmer based in France), and Him Sivonn( a female vocalist from Phnom Penh) (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_Sisamouth ,2006)

Keo Chamnab recalls this story: "Samouth, looking very sad, told me that he was sent from Prek Eng, Kien Svay district, Kandal province, where he had been jailed for three days.  He did not commit any fault but he was accused by the Khmer Rouge of being an imperialist.  It was difficult for Sinn Sisamouth to hide his identity and his face because he was a very famous singer dubbed the emperor of the country since long ago.  Even if the Khmer Rouge did not accuse him of being a singer serving a regime which was a sworn enemy to that of the Khmer Rouge, he was also a soldier serving the former regime." (http://khmermusic.thecoleranch.com/sisamouth.html)

The circumstances of his death in the Killing Fields are unknown, but he had connections with the old government, was highly educated, and was an artist – all trappings of a society that Pol Pot sought to eradicate. One apocryphal story is that before he was to be executed, Sisamouth asked that he be allowed to sing a song for the cadre; but the cold-hearted soldiers were unmoved and after he finished singing, killed him anyhow.  (