Taiwanese singer Vansalrang, famous for his covers of Mandarin-language ballads, such as Love You for 10,000 Years (愛你一萬年), passed away yesterday at the age of 74.
Vansalrang, whose name means “warrior who came of age” in the Puyuma language, made his first foray into music while performing his mandatory military service, playing the trumpet in the army band.
He started a rock band with his friends following his discharge from the military, and began to perform in hotels and clubs.
Photo: Taipei Times file
Vansalrang’s break came in 1971 when he sang the namesake theme song for the film Love Is an Elusive Wind (風從哪裡來).
Other than Vansalrang, only a handful of Taiwanese singers, such as rock star Wu Bai (伍佰), Sarah Chen (陳淑樺) and Liu Wen-cheng (劉文正), made successful covers of Love You for 10,000 Years, which have become iconic.
However, Vansalrang’s career was derailed after he took the stage in China in 1987, when cross-strait relations were tumultuous. He was banned from returning to Taiwan for eight years. When he returned home, he had lost contact with his wife and children, who had emigrated to the US.
Vansalrang fell in 1997 and sustained brain injuries, which caused him to be dependent on his relatives in Taitung County.
He later suffered two strokes, with the second one in 2015 paralyzing half of his body. He also developed a number of chronic ailments as he aged.
Vansalrang was known for his deep and magnetic singing voice, accompanied with clear annunciation.
Actress Chi Bo-ru (紀寶如) while visiting Vansalrang last year said that the singer was a true warrior for his resilience and was victorious in his battles against illness.
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