Her story Amapola: The total performer

CEBU, Philippines - Amapola Cabase, more popularly known to her fans as simply Amapola, is a Filipino-American singer who was born in Cebu on Nov. 3, 1948. Her parents were Manuel Kabahar Cabase of San Nicolas and Priscilla Vale Campogan of Tuburan. Both parents were known Cebuano musicians and educators.

Formally trained in music, Amapola's first piano recital was at the age of five. She then began singing her father's compositions and her mother's lyrics in the Visayan movies the following year, then starred in her first film at the age of seven.

Amapola was educated in several different schools: Cebu Normal School, Malate Catholic School, University of the Visayas and University of San Carlos. She received her first key to Cebu City at age seven for her work in conducting Toy Orchestras in several elementary schools in Cebu. This concept started in Amapola's school when, during music class, the teacher, Mrs. Coronada Pingol, noticed Amapola's retention of the Toy Orchestra repertoire. The largest Toy Orchestra organized by Pingol and conducted by Amapola was composed of 100 schoolchildren from Cebu Normal School. Then Cebu City Mayor Osmeña presented Amapola with the key to the city.

Amapola co-produced and strarred in her first musical television show at ABS-CBN studios in Cebu City when she was a third year high school student. Sharing in the duties of producer and director was Amapola's bosom buddy Marilyn Bajarias (who later worked for ABS-CBN Manila.)

One of the highlights of Amapola's career in Cebu was the grand opening of the San Miguel Brewery in Mandaue City. The mammoth extravaganza starred all the big names in the Philippine music industry including Sampaguita and LVN Studio stars like Pilita Corrales, who then helmed the nationally acclaimed "An Evening with Pilita." After that evening's performance, Pilita and her company offered Amapola her first break on national TV as special guest in the former's popular TV show.

One month later, Amapola and her family band led by her father arrived in Manila for their first performance, followed by another. The successful performances were followed by stints at the Manila Hilton, and the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati. Pilita's brother Fae was now representing Amapola and the Sounds. Leaving a full-blown career in Cebu City, Amapola and her father continued their musical careers in Manila with Mahnee leading his band, and Amapola as resident chanteuse at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati.

Amapola was a frequent guest in Joe Quirino's "Seeing Stars" on Channel 13, Nora Aunor's "Superstar" show, "Pilar Pilapil Show", "Helen Gamboa Show", and eventually co-hosted "Etchos Lang" starring Justo C. Justo. Other TV shows soon were added to Amapola's weekly list, namely: "Stop, Look and Listen" with co-hosts Eddie Mesa, Ike Lozada, Tirso Cruz III, and Novo Bono. Amapola also co-starred with Vilma Santos and Edgar Mortiz in "The Sensations" which aired every Sunday.

With Amapola's popularity on TV came scores of radio and television commercials. Her most famous movie commercial was Vicks cough drops that played nationally for two years while Amapola was away on her tour abroad. Amapola also did Silver Swan Soy Sauce commercials in nine dialects.

Amapola also opened for internationally acclaimed artists like Jack Jones, The Carpenters, Lou Rawls, Astrud Gilberto, The Platters, The Young Americans, Matt Monro, Sergio Mendes Brasil 66.

The Cebuana beauty recorded her first movie theme composed by George Canseco titled "Kapantay Ay Langit", which won the Manila Film Festival Award for Song of the Year. Soon, Amapola's first English LP album with Vicor under its Pioneer label followed. The album titled, "Songs and Amapola" featured Canseco's "Ode to Amapola" and "Songs." Every song from the LP album was released as a single and three of the singles held positions in the nation's top 10 for several weeks.

As she scaled higher heights in her career, she sought out more challenges on concert tours around Asia and the Pacific and eventually, the US. The first international concert tour Amapola signed on for was the Cavalcade of Stars that toured Taipei, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands. The Waikiki Beach Press twice featured Amapola for their front page story. She was then invited to co-host Hawaii's TV noon show hosted by Don Robbs. Her popularity in Hawaii was validated by a first place standing in the poll Most Famous Female Performer in the Hawaiian Islands in 1972, the first Filipina-American artist to do so.

After a great run in the Hawaii, a triumphant show in New York followed which paved the way for her nightly appearance at the Bayanihan Club in Manhattan. Sitting among Amapola's audience was Ed Sullivan who called her an "eyeful".

Her weekly TV show, still holds the record for the longest-running magazine-variety show locally produced in the Bay Area, directed by Hollywood producer/director Dirk Dirksen. "Amapola Presents" show aired on Channel 20, KEMO-TV from 1977 to 1983. Syndication began during the show's second season.

Amapola has received several distinctions in the Philippines as well as in the US. She won the country's Tinig Award, earned a Manila Film Festival acknowledgment, won the Awit Awards twice and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Press Club in 1987. In the US, Amapola was awarded the Eye Award for Best Entertainer of the Year, the Philippine Cultural Award in San Francisco, the Cultural Award in Michigan, and a plaque from former California Gov. Gerry Brown during the Browns for Brown campaign.

In her heyday, Amapola held many titles. She was tagged Total Performer because she sang in many languages and played at least eight musical instruments in her shows. She was also named Music Ambassador by then First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1973. Joe Quirino also gave her the title Troubador To The World. Her fans still call her Jukebox Queen of the '70s as well as Queen of Hearts, from her concert of the same title, the first ever live recorded concert in the Philippines in 1981.

Amapola is married to British photographer Steve Woodward.

LP album with Vicor under its Pioneer label followed. The album titled, "Songs and Amapola" featured Canseco's "Ode to Amapola" and "Songs." Every song from the LP album was released as a single and three of the singles held positions in the nation's top 10 for several weeks.

As she scaled higher heights in her career, she sought out more challenges on concert tours around Asia and the Pacific and eventually, the US. The first international concert tour Amapola signed on for was the Cavalcade of Stars that toured Taipei, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands. The Waikiki Beach Press twice featured Amapola for their front page story. She was then invited to co-host Hawaii's TV noon show hosted by Don Robbs. Her popularity in Hawaii was validated by a first place standing in the poll Most Famous Female Performer in the Hawaiian Islands in 1972, the first Filipina-American artist to do so.

After a great run in the Hawaii, a triumphant show in New York followed which paved the way for her nightly appearance at the Bayanihan Club in Manhattan. Sitting among Amapola's audience was Ed Sullivan who called her an "eyeful".

Her weekly TV show still holds the record for the longest-running magazine-variety show locally produced in the Bay Area, directed by Hollywood producer/director Dirk Dirksen. "Amapola Presents" show aired on Channel 20, KEMO-TV from 1977 to 1983. Syndication began during the show's second season.

Amapola has received several distinctions in the Philippines as well as in the US. She won the country's Tinig Award, earned a Manila Film Festival acknowledgment, won the Awit Awards twice and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Press Club in 1987. In the US, Amapola was awarded the Eye Award for Best Entertainer of the Year, the Philippine Cultural Award in San Francisco, the Cultural Award in Michigan, and a plaque from former California Gov. Gerry Brown during the Browns for Brown campaign.

In her heyday, Amapola held many titles. She was tagged Total Performer because she sang in many languages and played at least eight musical instruments in her shows. She was also named Music Ambassador by then First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1973. Joe Quirino also gave her the title Troubador To The World. Her fans still call her Jukebox Queen of the '70s as well as Queen of Hearts, from her concert of the same title, the first ever live recorded concert in the Philippines in 1981.

Amapola is married to British photographer Steve Woodward.  (FREEMAN)