Sam the Man (3)

Nihal Samarasinghe, was an icon of the local music scene. With more than six decades of performing experience as a professional musician, Sam travelled all over the globe with his Sax. An Old Thomian, Sam held his own in the music circuit and entertained Sri Lankans all over the world till the very end. In addition to playing the Sax, Sam was a balladeer and had an inimitable style of performing. It will be hard to replace him in the music circuit in Sri Lanka. Sixty years in showbiz as an active singer/saxophonist and Sam the Man has no regrets he chose music for his career and not an academic one. Music had an unexplainable fascination for Sam, the chords coloured his life. No sooner he left college he grabbed the first opportunity that came his way to play sax in the popular swing and dance band of that era- The Manhattans.

News has reached us in Toronto that Nihal Samarasinghe, popularly known as "SAM THE MAN" had passed away last evening (July 11, 2017) in Colombo.