Crooning Songs of Yesteryears – USJ Evergreens

DO you often tap your fingers and sing along when your favourite song from yesteryears is played over the radio? Or are songs of yesteryears your favourite pick during karaoke sessions? Are you one of those who sing only in the shower?

Two years ago a group of talented USJ residents decided to come out of the closet and stop singing in the showers. They decided that they would relive their interest and passion in songs of yesteryears and to share it with people around them. The group comprising Benny Jackson, Henry Siva, Kevin Kee, Lawrence Chong and Alice Miow decided to form USJ Evergreens, a musical group who performs Hawaiian, Country & Western, Latin American and oldies.

Passion brought the five members of the musical group together, diligently practising their numbers at least twice a week in USJ2. The group, according to Alice has performed at public and private functions.

“We have performed at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Cheras, at Christmas parties, senior citizens’ dinners, and dance functions and even at orphanage homes.”

“We charge a nominal sum to cover our expenses and for the maintenance of our equipment,” she said.

For Alice who sings and plays the Ukulele and percussion, she had joined her husband Lawrence at Benny’s house for a jamming session.

“Initially I wasn't sure of joining them due to my zero music background. After much persuasion I found myself in the group singing and within one year I started to learn how to play the ukulele and the percussion instrument.”

“I can't thank my fellow group members enough and I am grateful to Benny Jackson for having been so patient with me,” she said. Lawrence on the other hand had started playing the guitar at 16 and was invited to join a band at 17.

“I had given up playing the guitar since college. Only about three years ago, I met this group of passionate musicians at the Christmas carols we decided to start a jamming group. It was a struggle at the beginning, trying to remember even my favourite songs, not to mention the guitars chords and scales.”

“With much support and inspiration from my wife, who even bought me an electric guitar and an amplifier for my birthday, it is a joy to be able to play and sing and feel young once again,” Lawrence said.

“As I was keen on singing I joined the group and to my delight I enjoyed the sessions very much. From one session a week it increased to two sessions. Singing is my passion. I used to wish that one day I will be in a band. It looks like my prayers were answered,” Kevin who was introduced to the band by Henry said.

Benny, the host of the jamming sessions plays quite a wide variety of instruments. He started playing at 17 and now handles the Ukulele, guitar and since progressed to steel guitar and pedal steel guitar.

He humbly claims that he is “still learning” how to handle the pedal steel guitar.

No band will be complete without a keyboardist. And this is where Henry Siva plays his role. Having played the guitar since he was 14 and only seriously playing it in his 40s, Henry had his first encounter with the keyboard way back in 2009 and has been stuck at it ever since.

Together, the team passionately brings back the songs of yesteryears which many of us in our generation miss. The SJ Echo team was fortunate to join them for one of their practice sessions and we “overstayed” because we enjoyed their numbers so much that we lost track of time.

The band is willing to perform outside the Klang Valley but expects that their travelling and transport expenses be covered as well.

If you have an event coming up and you wish to have the USJ Evergreens bring you back in time or make you jive to their lively numbers, drop them an email at usjevergreens@gmail.com

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