Kong Ling

{{short description|1960s Hong Kong based singing star}} {{family name hatnote|Kong (江)|lang=Chinese}} {{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = | name = | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | native_name = 江玲 | native_name_lang = zh | birth_name = Kong Yan Lai (江欣麗) | alias = | birth_date = c. 1935 | birth_place = Hong Kong | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | genre = Jazz, Cha cha, Hong Kong English pop, Rock and roll, Pop music | occupation = singer | instrument = | years_active =  | label = Diamond | associated_acts = The Celso Carillo band, Vic Chrisobel, The Diamond Music Co. Studio Orchestra, The Fabulous Echoes | website =  | module = | module2 = | module3 = }}

'''Kong Ling''' ({{zh|c=|first=t|s=江玲}}; born c. 1935) was a 1960s Hong Kong–based singing star and recording artist who sang in various genres, including Jazz, Cha cha, Hong Kong English pop, Rock and roll and Pop music. She had also recorded with the popular Hong Kong pop group The Fabulous Echoes.

==Background== Kong Ling's real name is Kong Yan Lai (江欣麗). In 1951, she won an inter-school singing competition for her cover of Jo Stafford's "Congratulations" song. She started her professional career in 1954 which led to her touring Singapore for nine months. Due to the success from that she returned to Hong Kong and was in demand. In Hong Kong, she became known as the "Sweetheart of Hong Kong."<ref>m.review33.com [https://m.review33.com/forum_msg.php?db=1&tstart=0&s=&topic=29110223173636&start=4435&sort=1&number=6890 Kong Ling - More than I can say]</ref><ref>Popsike [http://www.popsike.com/OffBeat-Cha-Cha-Kong-Ling-RARE-HONG-KONG-IMPORT-DIAMOND-STEREO-EXOTICA/380395464513.html Off-Beat Cha Cha - Kong Ling / RARE HONG KONG IMPORT / DIAMOND STEREO EXOTICA]</ref>

Along with the Celso Carrillo band, she recorded an album for the Diamond label. The name of the album was ''Hong Kong Presents ..... Off-Beat Cha Cha''. The album was a Jazz / Cha Cha type of record with Carrillo playing piano, conga and cow bell on various tracks.<ref>Discogs [https://www.discogs.com/release/15762263-Kong-Ling-Hong-Kong-Presents-Off-Beat-Cha-Cha Kong Ling* – Hong Kong Presents Off-Beat Cha Cha]</ref> Carrillo who was Hong Kong's leading pianist<ref>{{Cite book |last=Quirino |first=Richie C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V5AOAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Celso+Carrillo%22Piano |title=Mabuhay Jazz: Jazz in Postwar Philippines |date=2008 |publisher=Anvil |isbn=978-971-27-2067-3 |language=en}}</ref> would later work on Mona Fong's album for the same label.<ref>Muzikland June 30, 2006 [http://blog.roodo.com/muzikland/archives/1833903.html Mona Fong - Mona Fong Meets Carding Cruz ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208175021/http://blog.roodo.com/muzikland/archives/1833903.html |date=2015-12-08 }}</ref>

In 1961, she was a guest on the Arthur Godfrey show.<ref>''St. Petersburg Times'' July 16, 1961 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19610716&id=_NEiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KHkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4172,2740765&hl=ko Godfrey: No Network Plans]</ref> The show that aired in May 1961 featured Kong Ling, Johnny Nash, The McGuire Sisters, Erroll Garner and Buddy Hackett.<ref>''The Hour'' May 13, 1961 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1898&dat=19610513&id=aOogAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q28FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6458,3301707&hl=ko TV-EIGHT Friday Television Program]</ref> In October of that year she was in New York as part of a six-month contract to do radio and television appearances. She was contracted to the Columbia Broadcasting System.<ref>''Billboard'' October 23, 1961 [https://books.google.com/books?id=vyAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Kong+Ling+singer&pg=PA42 Page 42 Hong Kong, Comings & Goings]</ref> Along with Rebecca Pam she had recorded for the Diamond Music Company.<ref>''Billboard'' December 15, 1962 [https://books.google.com/books?id=KRgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Kong+Ling+singer&pg=PA30 Page 30 Trade Talk]</ref> Backed by the Fabulous Echoes, her version of "Al Di La" and by September 22, 1962, it had been leading on the Hong Kong best selling charts for three weeks.<ref>''Billboard'' September 22, 1962 [https://books.google.com/books?id=qxcEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Kong+Ling+singer&pg=PA80 Page 80 International News, Hong Kong, ''New 'Al Di La'' Overtakes Old by Karl Myatt]</ref> Prior to that her first album that she cut for the Diamond label had been a best seller in Hong Kong and the far East.<ref>''Billboard'' October 16, 1961 [https://books.google.com/books?id=mCAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Kong+Ling+singer&pg=PA22 Hong Kong]</ref>

==Discography (selective)== * "I Love You Baby" / ? – Diamond D.76 * "Let's Twist Again" / "Why Not Now" – Diamond D 178 – (1964)<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/artist/2258801 Kong Ling, Discography]</ref> * "I've Told Every Little Star" / "Al Di La" – Diamond

===EP=== * ''Kong Ling Sings Your Favorites'' – Diamond DEP 001 – (1964) * ''Kong Ling'' - Diamond DEP 005 – (1965) * ''Kong Ling'' Vol. 3 – Diamond DEP 011<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/artist/2258801 Kong Ling, Discography]</ref>

===Album=== * ''Hong Kong Presents ..... Off-Beat Cha Cha'' - Diamond SLP 1000<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/artist/2258801 Kong Ling, Discography]</ref> ;Kong Ling with The Diamond Music Co. Studio Orchestra * ''Theme For A Dream'' – Diamond LP 1005<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/artist/2258801 Kong Ling, Discography]</ref> ;Kong Ling & The Fabulous Echoes * ''Kong Ling & The Fabulous Echoes'' Vol. 2 – Diamond LP 1011 * ''Kong Ling & The Fabulous Echoes'' Vol. 2 – Diamond 1781340 – (2008) (Compact Disc)<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/artist/2258801 Kong Ling, Discography]</ref> ;Kong Ling + The Fabulous Echoes & Vic Christobel * ''Dynamite'' – Diamond SLP 1008

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://mocamborainbow.blogspot.com/2008/07/kong-ling.html Kong Ling at Singapore 60's Pop Music Hall of Fame]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kong, Ling}} Category:20th-century Hong Kong women singers Category:Diamond Records (Hong Kong) artists Category:English-language Hong Kong singers Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:1930s births