M. Shariff from Bagan Serai Was Once Recognized by World-Renowned Guitar Maker
Many in our society today, especially the younger generation, may not know or have forgotten the name M. Shariff, who was quite popular back in the 1960s until he passed away on July 6, 1999, due to a heart attack.
For the information of our loyal readers at orangperak.com, the late M. Shariff, whose real name was Shariff Awang, was the only local singer and musician to ever receive recognition from the international guitar manufacturer Fender from the United States. The late M. Shariff received this recognition because he had used all 30 famous Fender guitar models throughout his three decades in the music industry. He was also named an Asian Fenderman figure, recognized by the Fender Foundation, the world-famous guitar manufacturer at the time.
The award was a handcrafted Fender guitar plated in 18-karat gold, featuring a signature and the Malaysian flag. The guitar, valued at RM47,000, is now the late singer's most prized collection, alongside 75 pairs of glasses in various shapes and 100 outfits. Shariff Awang, who was born in Bagan Serai, Perak, on June 4, 1951, actually began his involvement in the arts and entertainment world in 1964 at the age of 13. You might not know that his first song was titled 'Keindahan Pantai', recorded with the group The Zurah.
The late singer recorded 106 albums, held 50 concerts, and frequently organized music competitions to scout for new talent. Among his most successful organized concerts was the 'Konsert Masih Ada Yang Sayang' at Stadium Negara in 1997. M. Shariff passed away at the age of 48 due to a heart attack while sleeping at approximately 3:30 AM at his home in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. He was laid to rest at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery.
The loss of a singer who never tired of popularizing 60s rhythms, even after several decades, is a great loss to the arts scene in our country. Not many local artists today possess the same fighting spirit for 60s music as the late M. Shariff.
