Music arranger and deceased singer win Special Contribution Awards at the 35th GMAs

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Renowned Taiwanese music arranger Liu Ching-chih (劉清池) and late singer Cheng Hwa-jiuan (鄭華娟) were honored with Special Contribution Awards at the 35th Golden Melody Awards (GMA) at the Taipei Arena on Saturday.

Liu was introduced by Taiwanese singer Xi Qing (西卿), who sang some of the laureate’s songs, including the famous “Dragon Lady of Painful Ocean” (苦海女神龍).

“His arrangements gave rise to countless Taiwanese classics,” said Xi Qing. “He gave Taiwanese music its unique sound.”

In his acceptance speech, Liu said: “I dedicate this award to everyone who has contributed to Taiwanese music. It is an honor for me to accept this award on behalf of everyone.”

The 81-year-old arranger/music producer thanked the GMA, the Ministry of Culture and his wife for supporting him throughout his long and illustrious career.

“I hope Taiwan continues to cultivate its own music and sound,” he said.

As Xi Qing mentioned, over the years Liu has become best known for his skills as a music arranger, specializing in Taiwanese music.

His ability to create a down-to-earth feel and familiarity with Taiwan’s working class through music and sounds made singing legends such as Yeh Chi-tien (葉啟田), Jody Chiang (江蕙) and Chen Hsiao-yun (陳小雲) want to collaborate with him, resulting in unforgettable hits such as “Fight to Win” (愛拼才會贏), “You Must Endure” (你著忍耐) and “Cha Cha of Love” (愛情恰恰).

Xi Qing said Liu’s appeal to the masses lies in his ability to make audiences feel comfortable and bring life to environments ranging from bustling night markets to long solo drives, which has helped create a distinctive Taiwanese sound.

The posthumously awarded Special Contribution Award for the late singer Cheng Hwa-jiuan has now been accepted by her older brother and German widower.

“I am very pleased to accept this award on behalf of Hwa-jiuan,” said Cheng’s widow. “Hwa-jiuan is with us tonight.”

Singer Wan Fang (萬芳), a close friend of Cheng, opened the ceremony by paying tribute to the late artist with a medley of Cheng’s works.

“We are here to honor a talented artist,” said record label manager Kuei Ming-yu (桂鳴玉), who introduced Cheng’s career.

“Cheng entered Taiwan’s pop music scene as someone with classical training,” Kuei added. “In 40 years, she wrote over 300 songs and was able to adapt to all the singers she wrote for by carefully studying them and discovering their strengths.”

Kuei further said that Cheng played a key role in the advancement of Taiwanese dialect music as she was the first to incorporate literary artistry into her songs, ushering in a new era of Taiwanese music and removing the genre’s ghetto stigma.

Cheng made a splash in Taiwan’s Mando pop scene when she debuted as a singer-songwriter in the 1980s – a rarity in the industry at the time.

In addition to her singing, she also attracted great attention for her skills as a composer and lyricist, and her talent as a word artist earned her recognition as a literary prodigy.

In addition to writing famous Mando pop songs such as “La California” (加州陽光) by Stella Chang (張清芳), “Be Wise, Be Easy” (聰明糊塗心) by Sarah Chen (陳淑樺) and “Journey of the Young” (少年遊) by male singing duo Ukulele (優客李林), she was also commissioned to write ballads such as “Dark Rainy Night” (落雨的暗暝) for Taiwanese singer Jody Chiang.

Cheng also published a considerable number of books from 1988 to 2021. A resident of Germany, she was awarded the German Mark Twain Prize for Travel Journalism in 2003 for her 1998 book “The Kiss of Heidelberg”.

Donated in honor of the eponymous city that inspired her book and its subject matter, Cheng’s prize was displayed in Heidelberg’s historic Café Knösel, famous for producing a sweet chocolate treat romantically known in the university town as the “Studentenkuss.”