The Star - Looi Lai Yee (April 24th 1992)

THE STAR,
APRIL 24TH 1992

by LOOI LAI YEE

THE PATRICK - ALFRED SHOW
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Cinta's Passage To The Future charity drive on Tuesday brought two old chums together for a night of nostalgia, not only for themselves but also for the patrons who were at the discotheque.

They were 'smooth-talker' Patrick Teoh and blind singer/guitarist Alfred Ho, who share a 20 year friendship. And only Patrick could get away with telling everyone how, whenever Alfred sang his own country and western composition TRAIN TO TENNESSEE, appreciative women in the audience would hurl their undergarments at him.

The one-time TV newscaster, who met Alfred some 22 years ago during a Rediffusion audition, warmed the stage at Cinta before stepping back for his friend, who brought on warm memories of the days of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison and the likes.

Alfred, with his accoustic guitar and rhythm machine, took everybody down memory lane, singing along to hits like Pretty Woman, Unchained Melody, Blue Suede Shoes, Fall In Love Again, La Bamba, a medley of old classics and his very own Train To Tennessee.


PATRICK HELPED LAUNCH MY SINGING CAREER, SAYS ALFRED
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"Patrick is instrumental in launching my singing career," says Alfred Ho.

"No, it was his distinctive voice that got him where he is," contradicted Patrick Teoh.''

In an interview before their act at Cinta, the two Perak born buddies gleefully reminisced the good (and bad) old days. Alfred was discovered by Patrick one day in 1970 when the latter, then working as an assistant programme manager with Rediffusion, conducted the audition.

Said Patrick, "I was impressed with his distinctive vocals." The break advanced Alfred in the music field. He was a semi-finalist in the now defunct RTM Bakat TV in 1971, and has since appeared regularly in the station's entertainment programmes.

Right after Bakat TV, he released a four-track EP of his own compositions, namely, TRAIN TO TENNESSEE, SWEET RITA DIVINE, WENDY'S SONG and TEACHER'S LOVE SONG.

"I was really grateful to Patrick for taking the initiative during his radio deejaying days to play my songs, says the 42 year old singer. But it has been ages since he penned songs.

At this juncture Patrick chided him. "Alfred should compose more songs. He's talented. Know what his excuse is? - Lazy! Can you beat that?"

Throughout the years, Alfred who used to pop into the studios when Patrick was recording his programmes, never lost contact with his friend who has become a household name. Ho plays rock and roll, country and western and ballads but occasionally does contemporary numbers like Richard Marx's 'RIGHT HERE WAITING'.

Alfred had his early education at St. Nicholas in Penang, his secondary at St. Xavier's Institution before enrolling with the Vocational Centre for the Blind in Kuala Lumpur. A former telephone operator with the island's then City Council from 1974 to 1983, Alfred who is basically a self-taught musician with guidance from a St. Nicholas schoolmate, quit his job to go into the entertainment business.

"We haven't worked together for a long time. This reunion at Cinta is extra meaningful in that we are also chipping in to a good cause," said the duo