Filed under: Sri Lanka
Mignonne & The Jetliners are from Sri Lanka, which is also known as Ceylon.
Mignonne Fernando first appeared onto the Sri Lankan music scene in 1963 when as Mignonne Rutnam she won a song contest on Radio Ceylon. The radio station is one of the oldest broadcasting institutions in South Asia.
Vernon Corea, who was a popular disc jockey in Colombo, Sri Lanka, introduced Mignonne to The Jetliners in 1965. Later, he would go on to play their music on his popular radio program on BBC Radio London called ‘London Sounds Eastern‘ in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1980, Mignonne and The Jetliners began a 17 year contract to play The Regent Hotel in Hong Kong. And in 2003 when Mignonne Fernando released her first CD titled ‘A Celebration of Life.’ They still perform in and around South Asia, Australia and supposedly some dates in the United States in 2006.
This is the only song I have been able to find by them (so far) that is actually in Sinhalese. I’m also guessing that this is from the mid-Seventies since that sounds like an early drum machine and the liner notes talk about Mignonne’s succes at the World Popular Song Festival of 1972…
Catalog number LBEP-009 on Lewis Brown records of Columbo, Sri Lanka.
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Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe 
When I briefly visited Sir Lanka, en route to emigrate from England to Australia, I heard music by a wonderful local group called The Jetliners. One of their songs was I Can’t Give You Anything But Love. Another was Puppet on a String. Could you please advise if any of their music from this period is available to purchase on CD or audiotape. Many thanks. Alan Gill.
Comment by Alan Gill August 24, 2008 @ 2:44 pmThe only thing I’ve ever seen available by The Jetliners, is a vinyl only bootleg version of their “Live at Taj Mahal” album. There are some songs at the Sinhala Jukebox website (http://www.sinhalajukebox.org/), but none of their really good stuff… Another example of a great band that you can’t find anything by…
Comment by radiodiffusion August 25, 2008 @ 6:05 amhttp://www.infolanka.com/miyuru_gee/
“Kedelle Ethivoo” is another interesting song by Mignonne.
Comment by Upendra Samaranayake October 20, 2008 @ 6:50 pmEven better (though not by Mignonne or the Jetliners).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIige42Yek
Comment by Upendra Samaranayake October 20, 2008 @ 9:27 pmAlso, Wally Bastian is amazing:
http://www.infolanka.com/miyuru_gee/art/wally.html
Comment by Upendra Samaranayake October 20, 2008 @ 9:29 pmWinslow Six:
http://www.sinhalajukebox.org/cgi-bin/songs.cgi?action=ShowTracks&artist=A350&compose=
The greatest Sri Lankan musician is Amaradeva however. I have two of his albums that I can share on sendspace if you’re interested. 🙂
Comment by Upendra Samaranayake October 21, 2008 @ 7:57 pmListen and watch all greatest srilankan artist here.
Comment by chanaka February 27, 2011 @ 4:01 amHowdy: I think before the Moonstones, there were Harold Senviratne combo and Morton Cole combo. Also we must not forget great Bill Forbes another Sri Lankan export to the UK. Finally Cliff Foenander (Fabulous Echoes) who made it big in the Far East, also featured on Ed Sullivan show here in the US.
http://kermeey.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html
HJ
Comment by Hillary Jay April 7, 2011 @ 4:10 pmI agree with HJ. Harold Seneviratne was a class act and we used to hear him on Radio Ceylon in India in the early 70s. It is unbelievable that so many of the Jetliners original albums cannot be found. What of their original recordings? Where were they taped? Someone in SL must have the originals? Let’s keep trying. There were several LPS made of whom I cannot rememebr all the names, the Taj Mahal one being one. Someone out there must have the originals and who can bring back these wondereful memories. Bombay Meri Hai the cover to Usha Uthup’s original was a classic jazzed-up version.
Comment by Kerry Edwards April 16, 2011 @ 2:19 pmi have an ep of puppet on a string, fruto di mare, gwantanamere
Comment by gillian May 30, 2011 @ 5:36 pmListen to My boy LOLLIPOP, fantastic song with good lyrics & music…..Casablanca from India Bombay
Comment by Cassie August 10, 2011 @ 11:57 amI would appreciate if you could kindly share them with me. I am a great fan of the Jetliners.
Regards,
Marshall Mendonza
Comment by Marshall Mendonza April 7, 2012 @ 7:30 pmThis single is the only thing I have by The Jetliners.
You can find a lot of more music by them at Miyuru Gee and Sinhala Jukebox.
Stuart
Comment by Radiodiffusion April 9, 2012 @ 6:00 am