The man who made the stars

SEVEN LEADING singers joined up last weekend at Royal Paragon Hall for a concert that feted the more than 30 years of Nitipong “Dee” Honark’s prolific career as a songwriter.

Audience members applauded and cheered as the curtains parted to reveal such major stars as Christina Aguilar, Mai Charoenpura, Marsha Vadhanapanich, Ampol Lampoon, Jetrin Wattanasin, Billy Ogan and Saowalak Lilabut. Between them, they performed an impressive sampling of the more than 400 songs Nitipong has penned over the years including, of course, the numbers that shot them to fame.

The show, dubbed “The Masterpiece: 30 Years of Nitipong Honark”, offered a rare chance for fans to see their favourite singers on the same stage and applause was warm for the solos, duets and group renditions of the more than 50 songs performed, either in their complete state or as medleys.

The stars gathered on stage for the opening numbers, two songs written in honour of His Majesty the King – “Khong Kwan Chak Kon Din” (“Presents from Earth”) and “Ton Mai Khong Phor” (“The Father’s Tree”). They were then joined by Nitipong, who lent his voice to theirs for “Mai Rak Tae Kid Thueng” (“I Don’t Love You, But I Miss You”).

Christina, Jetrin and Mai all had the audience up and dancing in their high-powered a numbers. Former couple but now long divorced Marsha and Ampol 

 performed a rare duet together on “Bok Ma Kham Diew” (Just Tell Me the Word). Billy manned the piano for his solo “Prasat Sai” (“Sand Castle”) and Saowalak brought tears to many an eye with a sequence of managed beautiful ballads including “Ther Pan Jai” (“You Are Unfaithful”).

Guest singers – Sirintip “Rose” Harnpradit, Sunita “Beau” Leetikul and Anuwat “Boy Peacemaker” Sa-nguansakpakdi – added more spice to the concert, each performing hits written by Nitipong and then joining up for “Khao Jai” (“Understanding”).

Backing was provided by Extra Band and a small string orchestra who more than merited the applause they received. 

Saowalak donned a talk show hat by interviewing Nitipong and the two discussed the backgrounds to the songs chosen for the concert. These included those written from a single word and those based on the real lives of his friends or colleagues. The humorous interludes did away with the need for an intermission and offered an opportunity to audience members wanting to respond to the call of nature to leave the auditorium. 

Time sped past and soon the three-and-a-half hour concert had reached its finale – “Mai Khaeng Ying Pae” (The Loss is Worse if You Opt out of the Contest) performed by all 10 singers.