The Star - Teh Ewe Beng

ALFRED - HOPING FOR A COMEBACK
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Remember Alfred Ho, the local crooner who burst into the pop scene with his own composition "TRAIN TO TENNESSEE" in the early 70's? For those unfamiliar with Alfred, he shares a common fate with renowned singers like Jose Feliciano, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. He's blind.

Now, Alfred has turned solo as a guitarist cum singer. Numbers like Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" and Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes" are his favourites. He lures the audience to sing along with him by talking to them. Yes, he talks and encourages them till they join him in the singing.

Alfred was blinded at three after he suffered an attack of measles. Living in a remote village in Perak, his parents were ignorant about the disease and did not take prompt action which resulted in his blindness. At six, he was admitted to the St. Nicholas School for the Blind in Penang, where the stayed until he passed his LCE in 1966. After that he was trained as a telephone operator and because of his handicap, it took him years to get a job.

It was during his jobless years that he took up singing in an attempt to break the boredom. "It was a frustrating period in my life and I just had to do something to occupy myself and pass the time," recalled Alfred. "My love for music grew and I wrote in to Rediffusion for an audition. It was successful and I took part in a few variety shows organised by them," he said.

Then came his Bakat TV appearance where he qualified for the semi-finals. Alfred also participated in a few TV musicals such as, "Bintang Baru" and once appeared on "Andre Goh's Show". The fact that he tries his best to please the audience in his special way makes him very popular. "

Being blind is not the end of the world. "In fact, we should try harder to discover our inner qualities," he said. When asked whether he has any difficulty in travelling, Alfred said that the problem arises only in unfamiliar surroundings.