Minh Canh: From the boy who picked up the bottles to the "first famous singer in the world", retired from the stage after the big event

Artist Minh Canh is known as "the first famous singer in the ancient world". At his peak, but he was forced to leave the stage because of an unexpected accident. Up to now, settling in the US, he still has trouble with his career, the age of U90 has not stopped art.

From the boy who collected the bottles to the "first famous singer in the world"

Minh Canh (born 1937), real name is Nguyen Van Canh. "King Cai Luong", "Emperor Vong Co", "First Famous Singer Vong Co",... these are the names that the audience favors for him. Up to the present time, the male artist is still a solid and irreplaceable monument in the hearts of stage fans.

He was born in a poor family with many children in Cho Lon, so he spent a rather difficult childhood when he had to work early in life to make a living such as collecting bottles, selling orange cakes, fried bananas, etc. But since childhood, Minh Canh showed a passion for music. When going to the roadside shops with music playing, the male artists all stopped to listen, mutter and sing along. It was not until he returned to live with his father that Minh Canh followed a piano teacher to learn to sing.

At the age of 22, he went to sell banh ú for a walk at the Cai Luong stage's death anniversary in 1960. He was introduced to the stage by artist Van Duoc to try out with 6 chants of the ancient song "Letter of a soldier", Van Duoc plays the violin, Ngoc Sau plays the stork, Bay Trach plays the pliers. Everyone applauded and applauded. Everyone praised "the boy" as a potential vocalist. Minh Canh was introduced to the boss Kim Chung and started his singing career.

At first, Minh Canh earned 40 VND a night and signed a contract of 20,000 VND for 2 years. The plays Minh Canh participated in such as: "Blind Artist Ha Tien", "Phu Kieu Truong Han", "The laughter of Bao Tu", "Snow covered in the winter afternoon", "Farewell in the autumn afternoon"... leaving the auditorium empty.

Through the tutoring of teachers Hai Si, Van Duoc and Bay Trach, Minh Canh appeared on a glittering stage with a smooth, passionate voice with a high salary that made many people dream. wish.

The reformed stage at this time had a usurpation and abdication of the throne. A new class of artists appeared as bright stars: Huu Phuoc, Hung Cuong, Dung Thanh Lam, Minh Canh, Ut Bach Lan, Bach Tuyet, Ngoc Giau, Le Thuy, Thanh Nga, My Chau, Minh Phung, Thanh Thanh Hoa... Minh Canh doesn't have much education but has a very strange singing style. The public is looking for an innovation, wants to get rid of the classical singing style, so Minh Canh becomes the first choice.

In 1961, Minh Canh was crowned "Emperor" from the ancient song "Tu is the source of happiness", followed by a series of ancient songs composed by composer Vien Chau, such as: "Vo Dong So", "Rain on the street" Hue", "Luong Son Ba", "Sorrow King Ying", "Luu Binh - Duong Le", "Woman's heart", "Children shine shoes", "Afternoon rickshaw ride", "Rain and wind life" , "The Nun and the Swordsman", "Durian Fruit"...

Two years later, he founded the Kim Chung 2 troupe. The showman and double chief Minh Canh shined brightly again with Cai Luong plays: "Besides of the hopeless", "Manh Ao poor", "Bich Van Cung Ky" judgment", "Virgin on the green floor", "Poetry on blood"...

In particular, in "Village's head brocade shop" (the story of Luu Binh - Duong Le), Minh Canh broke through with a rather long chant of 53 words, putting the first impression on the long-winded ancient song so far. Now, on the cai luong stage, there are "photocopies" of artist Minh Canh like artists: Giang Chau, Chau Thanh, Phuong Hang, Binh Trang, Cam Tien...

After 1975, the audience still listens to Minh Canh with some very impressive neo-classical songs such as: "Bird on the sea", "Cheap at the beginning of the season", "Saigon message", "The wedding on the beach". hometown road", "White water lily",...

Not only singing well, Minh Canh is also good at martial arts. In addition to the time spent on the stage, in his free time Minh Canh spends a lot of time practicing martial arts. From studying to protect himself, Minh Canh uses his elaborate martial arts to perform on stage. Thanks to that, his roles became more vivid and attractive.

During a visit to Vietnam, the famous Hong Kong movie star in the 90s, martial arts actor Khuong Dai Ve offered to make friends with Minh Canh because he admired the male artist's voice and martial arts skills. doctor.

Farewell to the stage after the big event and late afternoon in America

When he was at his peak, Minh Canh had to face a big event in his life and had to retire from the limelight. During a performance in Binh Duong, Minh Canh unfortunately had a stage problem, while flying in the sky, the wire broke, Minh Canh fell to the ground, although fortunately he escaped, the male artist was seriously injured. and take a long time to heal.

Returning from the dead, the manager and double chief Minh Canh fell into poverty, no longer had money to measure rice, pay the salary of the artist group Kim Chung 2. Life once gave him so many things, now he takes it all away. run out of. Minh Canh often plays characters who are unhappy, lonely, poor, martyr, die for love, live a gentleman's life... At the end of the artist's life, his fate is no different from his role. Leaving the stage, he returned to Long Xuyen, Soc Trang and Ca Mau to open a pub to sing to each other, sing weddings and funerals for a long time, struggling to make a living.

He is also a teacher, influencing a series of artists who later became famous on stage, taking the stage name with his name such as: Minh Minh Canh, Minh Minh Tam,... Artist Minh Canh lives with artist Kieu. My, has 5 children, in which Nhat Son and Kieu Nhi follow the profession.

Disaster once again fell into the unhappy life of Minh Canh when he was diagnosed with a serious illness in 2005 and had to go to the US for treatment and then settle down.

Referring to this period in a conversation with the Women's newspaper of Ho Chi Minh City, Minh Canh confided: "A lot of tears were shed for the past. I cried because I felt sorry for myself. I cried because I was happy. I cried for those who have lost their lives. I used to live in the same situation as me. Those tears were sad, mixed with joy, mixed with humiliation."

In 2013, Minh Canh had to receive sad news when his youngest son Vu Minh Son (singer Nhat Son) left for unknown reasons, he was in the US and could not see his son for the last time.

Up to now, artist Minh Canh is still living in Louisiana (USA). He said he was sometimes heartbroken because his friends and colleagues at the same time were almost gone. Although he is nearly 90 years old, the male artist's health is very good, still lucid and humorous when talking with people. However, due to poor eyesight, he was unable to recognize some of the people he knew. However, the male artist sometimes runs shows, serves audiences in many places, wants to dedicate himself to live on stage.

Talking about current health, he said that everything is a law of nature, so it is not forced. He thinks that everyone has to accept going backstage after many years of living under the spotlight.

People's Artist Thanh Tuan: While singing, his heart disease relapsed, he is no longer in critical condition, and is not asking for money. Keng14:02:52 28/03/2025Artist Thanh Tuan was born in 1948, real name Nguyen Thanh Liem, born and raised in Quang Ngai. He had a passion for reformed opera since childhood, then studied with teacher Bay Trach.