{{Multiple issues| {{Cleanup rewrite|date=May 2025}} {{Copy edit|date=May 2025}} {{BLP sources|date=May 2025}} }} {{infobox person | name = Johnny Yip | native_name = {{lang|yue-HK|葉振棠}} | image = HK City Hall Night 葉振棠 Yip Johnny.JPG | birth_date = {{birth_date_and_age|1944|2|7|df=yes}} | birth_place = Portuguese Macau }} '''Johnny Yip Chun-tong''' ({{lang-zh|葉振棠}}, born 7 February 1944), also known as '''Tong Gor''' ({{lang|zh|棠哥}}), is a Hong Kong singer who rose to fame for producing soundtracks for several Hong Kong television dramas in the 1980s.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
==Early life== Yip was born in Macau in February 1944. His grandparents were of Vietnamese-Chinese heritage.<ref name="頭">{{Cite web |title=那些年—葉振棠難忘七十載情|url=https://hd.stheadline.com/news/columns/289/20150302/320295/%E5%B0%88%E6%AC%84-%E9%82%A3%E4%BA%9B%E5%B9%B4-%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%E9%9B%A3%E5%BF%98%E4%B8%83%E5%8D%81%E8%BC%89%E6%83%85|access-date=|author=杜淑霞|date=2015-03-02|format=|publisher=頭條日報|language=|archive-date=2022-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614042900/https://hd.stheadline.com/news/columns/289/20150302/320295/%E5%B0%88%E6%AC%84-%E9%82%A3%E4%BA%9B%E5%B9%B4-%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%E9%9B%A3%E5%BF%98%E4%B8%83%E5%8D%81%E8%BC%89%E6%83%85|url-status=live}}</ref> At age 10, Yip contracted scarlet fever, which damaged his optic nerves and caused his eyesight to deteriorate.<ref name="眼">{{Cite news |url=https://www.mpweekly.com/entertainment/blogger/shall-we-talk/20170902-78888|title=【獨家專訪】葉振棠．誰是我的眼|author=|date=2017-09-02|work=明周|publisher=|access-date=|language=|format=|archive-date=2022-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614054852/https://www.mpweekly.com/entertainment/blogger/shall-we-talk/20170902-78888}}</ref> He attended the former Macau St. John's College Primary and Secondary School in China and switched to Pooi To Middle School at 13-14 years old.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.houkongdaily.com/20180914-A8-163718.html|title=葉振棠與澳門學生分享人生經驗|author=|date=2018-09-14|work=濠江日報|publisher=|access-date=|language=|format=|archive-date=2021-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522084044/http://www.houkongdaily.com/20180914-A8-163718.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://hk.lifestyle.appledaily.com/nextplus/magazine/article/20110728/2_15466205/%E5%B0%8D%E6%8A%97%E5%91%BD%E9%81%8B-%E4%BD%86%E6%88%91%E6%B0%B8%E4%B8%8D%E6%80%95%E6%8D%B1-%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0|title=對抗命運 但我永不怕捱 葉振棠|author=|date=2011-07-28|work=壹周刊|publisher=|access-date=|language=|format=}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Early years (1962 - 1980) === After graduating from secondary school at age 18, Yip travelled to Hong Kong in search of an office job. However, Hong Kong authorities did not acknowledge the academic qualifications he certified in Macau. With the introduction of an Indonesian Chinese friend in Macau{{Vague|reason="Introduction of Indonesian friend" not clear|date=July 2025}}, he took to working as a part-time night bassist in the Tsim Sha Tsui bar "KK Club" and in a bar in Wan Chai. In the mid-1970s, Yip was approached by Chung Ting-yat to form a band named "The New Topnotes" with Chan Kit-ling and other musicians. He performed as the bass guitarist and lead vocalist of the band for 4 years. He has released five albums in English through EMI Records and was twice selected for the Top Ten Singers Golden Camel Award jointly organized by Overseas Chinese Evening News and the National Paint Factory.<ref>{{Cite news |author= |date=1977-09-12 |title=十大歌星銀星揭曉 皇牌陣容權威無敵 |url= |access-date= |work=華僑日報 |publisher= |language= |format=}}</ref> Yip decided to leave the band{{When|date=July 2025|reason=Year not specified}} and return to Hong Kong for development, and "The New Topnotes" was disbanded. Yip later performed at Furama Hotel and formed a band called "Ma Cheng Tong" with former Ming band drummer Wu Mali and independent keyboardist Huang Zhengguang, with which Yip sang popular Cantonese songs. The band separated soon after.<ref name="眼" /><ref name="東">{{Cite news |author= |date=1994-07-13 |title=盲俠走天涯 |url= |work=東周刊第90期}}</ref> During this period, he worked in Singapore for half a year.
=== Rise to fame (1980 - ) === In 1980, Yip Chun-tong was employed by Michael Lai Siu-tin, the then music director of Rediffusion Television, for his sad and vicissitudes of life voice. He recorded his first two TV drama songs, "Gone With the Wind" and "Drama Life", and made his mark. With the help of Lai Siu-tin, Yip Chun-tong signed an exclusive TV drama singing contract with Rediffusion Television, in which he was neither a singer nor an artist. Yip Chun-tong was assigned to sing five more theme songs for the original TV dramas produced by Rediffusion Television, a total of six theme songs. All six theme songs were composed by Lai Siu-tin, with lyrics written by the then Rediffusion Publicity Director Lo Kwok-jim, and arranged by Filipino arranger Eugenio "Nonoy" Ocampo. These six TV series and their theme songs include: "Gone With the Wind", "The Heroes of the Palace", "Tai Chi Master", "Hong Kong Gentlemen (I)", "The Ranger Zhang Sanfeng" and "The Legendary Fok" ("Theme song of the same name"). In addition, Yip Chun-tong also sang some of the interludes of these TV series, including "Drama Life" from "Gone With the Wind" and "No Excuse" from "Hong Kong Gentlemen (I)", and released several personal albums through EMI Records.<ref name="眼" /> Since the record company only wanted Yip to focus on his singing career, Ye resigned from his position as a resident singer at the Furama Hotel, where he had worked for two years.
In 1982, Yip Chun-tong left Rediffusion Television and signed a singing contract with TVB, as TVB had many variety shows promoting songs, such as "Enjoy Yourself Tonight", "Jade Solid Gold", and "K-100".<ref>{{Cite web|title=華語音樂顛峰對話（二） 70不老的"大俠葉振棠|url=http://www.chinesemusicawards.com/News/Interview/2014/0308/431.html|access-date=|author=|date=2014-03-10|format=|publisher=chinesemusicawards|language=|archive-date=2021-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522084032/http://www.chinesemusicawards.com/News/Interview/2014/0308/431.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After joining TVB, Yip Chun-tong often collaborated with the station's then music director Joseph Koo, singing TV drama songs composed by Koo: "The Troupe Boy" ({{lang|zh|戲班小子}}), "It's Hard to Determine the Boundary Between Good and Evil" ({{lang|zh|難為正邪定分界}}, duet with Mak Chi-shing), "Forget All the Love in My Heart" ({{lang|zh|忘尽心中情}}), "I Wish to Live Alone All My Life" ({{lang|zh|我願一生孤獨過}}), "When I'm Gone" ({{lang|zh|當我人去後}}), "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" ({{lang|zh|笑傲江湖}}, duet with Frances Yip), etc.; among them, "Forget All the Love in My Heart" became his first famous song.{{Quote box | quote = "I like Yip Chun Tong's voice, it's more Chinese and it goes well with the melodies I write. Because he knows how to play the bass guitar and has worked in bands, he has a quick grasp of my musical requirements, so he is very good at it."<ref>{{Cite book |title='The Hundred People of Hong Kong' last|last=AsianTV|publisher=China Book Council (Hong Kong) Publishing Limited|year=2012|isbn=|location=|pages=196}}</ref> | source = Review of Joseph Koo | align = right | width = 250px | bgcolor = Wheat }}
In addition to TV series songs, Yip Chun-tong also tried to explore new routes. The albums "Waiting Again" (再等待, 1982) and "This Leaf is for You" (這片葉給你, 1983) both used non-film and television songs as the theme. In 1983, "Yip Chun-tong Love Songs" did not include any film and television songs<ref name="柏">{{Cite book |title=漫遊八十年代：聽廣東歌的好日子|last=黃夏柏|publisher=非凡出版|year=2017|isbn=9789888463138|location=香港|pages=55}}</ref>。"Flute Girl", "Wait Again" and "Moon God" have topped the Chinese Songs Dragon and Tiger Chart (weekly) chart. The song "Flute Girl" ({{lang|zh|笛子姑娘}}) was released in 1981. It was written by Lam Chun-keung. It tells an ordinary love story and secretly expresses his longing for his deceased sister Lam Ngan-nei.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Lin Zhenqiang|location=Xianggang|isbn=978-988-8573-05-9|oclc=1117274763|last1=Yuebashi|last2=月巴氏|date=July 2019 }}</ref> Among them, "Moon God" uses electronic arrangement, and its lyrics are full of "cinematic feeling". Commentators pointed out that the song should be influenced by the New Age Music composer Kitaro.<ref name="專輯">{{Cite book |title=香港流行音樂專輯101．第一部|author=Muzikland |publisher=非凡出版|year=2018|isbn=9789888513710|location=香港|pages=22}}</ref>
In 1982, Yip Chun-tong represented TVB in Tokyo, Japan, to participate in the 11th Tokyo Music Festival, with "Waiting Again" as his entry song,<ref>{{cite news |author1=羅 |title=東京音樂節本週末舉行 葉振棠昨赴角逐 以廣東歌參賽 |url=https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/c/portal/cover?c=QF757YsWv58StS6UNkXpit76YDH46w%2B0&actual_q=%28+verbatim_dc.collection%3A%28%22Old%5C+HK%5C+Newspapers%22%29+%29+AND+%28+%28+allTermsMandatory%3A%28true%29+OR+all_dc.title%3A%28%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%29+OR+all_dc.creator%3A%28%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%29+OR+all_dc.contributor%3A%28%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%29+OR+all_dc.subject%3A%28%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%29+OR+fulltext%3A%28%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%29+OR+all_dc.description%3A%28%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0%29+%29+%29&o=4&hsf=%E8%91%89%E6%8C%AF%E6%A3%A0&sort_field=score&sort_order=desc&filter=dc.publicationdate_dt%3A%5B1980-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1989-12-31T15%3A59%3A59Z%5D|accessdate=|work=香港工商日報 |issue=19479 |date=1982-03-24}}</ref> finally won the "Asia Special Award".<ref name="眼"/>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{imdb name|2327398}} *{{hkmdb name|25786}} *{{Douban people|1373138}} *[https://www.wsmmusic.com/artists-detail.php?id=10 葉振棠] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107064902/https://www.wsmmusic.com/artists-detail.php?id=10}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yip, Johnny}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Hong Kong people of Macanese descent Category:Cantopop singers Category:20th-century male singers Category:21st-century Hong Kong male singers Category:Hong Kong male film actors Category:Chinese blind musicians Category:Blind singers