Sharon the songwriter

If fate had not decreed that Sharon Cuneta become a hugely successful singer and actress, then I am sure that she would still be part of the local music industry as a songwriter. There is seldom enough time for Sharon to pursue this undertaking but it is obvious from the few instances when she has done so that she is also a gifted songwriter.

As all those who have heard her songs now know, Sharon has a competent command of language. She writes and speaks English and Tagalog very well and has a natural flair for melody, although she plays no musical instrument. What Sharon does when she composes is to sing the song to a recorder then discuss how it should be done with an arranger. Truth to tell though, this was also the way the late George Canseco wrote his classic songs. So I am sure that if Sharon is as dedicated to songwriting as she is to singing and acting, she will also be able to come up with more beautiful songs.

But she is busy with other things so let us be content with what she has so far offered. These are Now That You’re Gone, Maybe Someday, Mahal Pa rin Kita and Starlight, which she was inspired to write for her daughter Kristina. Currently in the forefront is Now That You’re Gone, which was recorded recently by Ella May Saison. Nice work, but there is of course, nothing better than the original, more so when it is by Megastar Sharon.

Sharon’s version is now once more available in the new compilation album also titled Now That You’re Gone. This is made up of some of her best pop recordings in English and also includes one of her other compositions, Maybe Someday. The other cuts are Odette Quesada’s To Love Again, Somewhere, Somehow, a duet with Gary Valenciano, Refrain, by Jose Mari Chan, The Other Side of Me by Mon Faustino, All I Ask of You, from Phantom of the Opera as a duet with Jun Polistico, plus What Loving You Was Like at All, Almost Over You, So Much In Love, Please Don’t Ask Me, Both Sides Now, The Promise and Every Now and Then.

It has been quite a while since Sharon has recorded an album. She has one due for release soon featuring the works of Ogie Alcasid. However, since that is not yet available, I will just recommend that her fans enjoy the pleasure of listening to Sharon with the Now That You’re Gone collection. I am sure they will enjoy this very much.

As for her fans who live in the US who also miss Sharon, you can catch her live in The Mega Tour 2005. She is set to leave tomorrow and will be away for over a month. The last time she toured was in the summer of 1997 while she was living in Boston where her husband, Sen. Francis Pangilinan was studying at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard. So it has been quite a while and I am sure her fans out there will be glad to see her again.

They can catch Sharon at the Moran Theater in Jacksonville, Florida on May 8; the Rosemont Theater in Chicago, Illinois on May 14; the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on May 22; the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada on May 29; the Pala Casino and Resort in San Diego, California on June 5; and the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, the site of several of her earlier triumphs, on June 11. Guesting in Sharon’s show are Ogie Alcasid and Robert Seña.

Goodbye, Dear Bella

Now a sad note: Friends and colleagues said their final "goodbyes" to Bella Dy-Tan last Sunday. Bella lost the battle against the big C last April 26 at age 51. She is survived by husband Jack and children, Jacklyn and Jeffrey. She was the daughter of James Dy, one of the pioneering figures of the music industry and I am sure he was most proud of her accomplishments. Bella was an indefatigable worker who steered to success some of the country’s biggest stars. Not only that, she was also a bright spirit who infected everybody with her charming personality.

As a lot of people said during this past week, you can consider half the battle won if you have Bella on your side. She will be sorely missed.