Sonny Lobo - R.I.P.

Goa lost another legendary musician with the passing away of Francis Xavier Lobo alias Sonny Lobo on September 8 at the ripe old age of 98. The magical pianist, band-leader and a towering personality, regaled the glittering ballrooms at India's best hotels including Taj, Greens, Ambassador and Great Eastern way back in the mid Forties rubbing shoulders with world celebrities.Sonny had the proud privilege of playing with Mehli Mehta at the Taj as well as at the Government House. Sonny jammed up with a galaxy of great Goan and international musicians, while performing at Taj, Greens, Ambassador Hotels, Great Eastern Hotel, Oberoi Hotelsat the erstwhile music hotspots - Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay, Mussorie.“I had five orchestras under me at Oberoi Hotels right up to 1970,” he revealed once while unwinding the highlights of his brilliant career that spanned the "golden era" of ballroom music in the country. Teaming up with Duke Ellington, being applauded by Lord Mountbatten, the then governor general of India in 1947, are just a couple of highlights of his scintillating music career, which took off when he was engaged as a Music Director by the Tatas, in Jamshedpur, in 1929. Sonny had a long association with the music of the ‘silent picture era’.Originally from Pomburpa, the music wizard spent the well earned evening of his life in Goa, first setting up a hotel called “Sunny Lobo” in Saligao and subsequently shifting to Gauravaddo in Calangute and launching “Sonny’s Place”, along with his wife Therese Rita, to whom he attributed his happy and healthy long life.

From Goacom

Comment: Another jigant has faded away from the Goemcar scene. Goem's loss is heaven's gain. Angelic harmony will be greatly enhanced with the ivory tinkling maestro leading Gabriel and the choirs of angels in a merry Goan dekhni. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

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