Edward Jayakody

Jayakody was born on 6 April 1952 in Hettimulla, Kegalle, Sri Lanka, the youngest of six children of Don Raphial Jayakody and Victoria Jayakody (d. 2017).{{cite web |url=http://archives.dinamina.lk/2009/12/25/_art.asp?fn=f0912255 |title=The true epitome of meaningful song |publisher=Dinamina |access-date=2 August 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://sinhala.lankainformation.lk/news/features/item/9253-2017-04-30-14-36-27 |title=President pays last respects to the mother of singer Edward Jayakody |publisher=lankainformation |access-date=2 August 2020}} While receiving his early education at Bandaranaike Junior School, he joined the church choir. He received his secondary education at St. Mary's College in Kegalle and learned music under teacher H. Samarapala.{{cite web |url=https://www.divaina.com/daily/index.php/visheshanga3/6575-2018-01-25-14-03-38 |title=Let's meet at the rising moon of life to relax - an invitation from scholar Edward |publisher=Divaina |access-date=2 August 2020}}

During the period from 1968 to 1976, Jayakody participated in the "Maliban Guwan Thotilla" and many amateur music programs. He entered the Government College of Music in 1976 (presently the Faculty of Aesthetic Education of Kelaniya University) and during that time took part in music programs conducted by popular musicians.{{cite web |url=http://www.dinamina.lk/2018/02/06/විශේෂාංග/48501/සිත-සතුට-ගෙනාවේ-ඔබ%C2%ADමය-මගේ-හිතත්-ඔබ-ළඟ-නැව%C2%ADතිලා |title=Edward Jayakody and Charitha's only son engaged |publisher=Dinamina |access-date=2 August 2020}} In 1976, he sang on the popular radio program "Pibidena Gayaka Parapura" on the radio, and he won second place in the grand finale of the program. He entered singing with the song Karadiya Gambare for a 1977 radio musical program. Its lyrics are by Premakumara Jayawardena and the music was composed by Rohana Weerasinghe.{{cite web |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2012/04/05/_art.asp?fn=sa1204052&pn=*02,27 |title=Happy Birthday to Edward Jayakody |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=2 August 2020}}

During the 1980s, he released two cassettes and a CD, Seethala Pinimatha, Kerakena Rode and Samanalaya Mala Ha Lamaya. He also holds a government position as Educational Assistant Music Director. Jayakody made several children's songs such as Kopara Kopara, Katu Akule, Rajjuruwo Udai, Sulangak Vee and Chakgudu Gudu.{{cite web |url=http://archives.dinamina.lk/2010/10/15/_art.asp?fn=f1010152 |title=‘Wasanthaye Aga’ Edward and Charitha |publisher=Dinamina |access-date=2 August 2020}} At the same time, he was appointed as the Music Teacher at Nalanda College, where he worked for a while and then transferred to Gurukula College, Kelaniya. In 1986, Jayakody was promoted to Staff Education Officer in the Music Division and attached to the Ministry of Education. Around the same time, he unveiled his second album Kerakena Rode. He received his Master's degree in 1992 from the Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University, Lucknow.

Apart from singing, he composed and worked as the music director for more than fifty-two singers.{{cite web |url=https://www.divaina.com/2012/03/30/cineart01.html |title=අද හොඳම දවස ඔබ එනවා නම්|publisher=Divaina |access-date=2 August 2020}} He also composed music for a number of stage plays and teledramas. He has performed as an actor in seventeen stage plays including maiden acting in 1975 stage play Spartacus and then in Kontha Nona, Angara Ganga Galabhasi, Mawatha Api, Sekkuwa, Nari Bena, Gajaman Puwatha, Oedipus and Satara Waram Raja Daruwo. In 2010, Jayakody and Charitha organized a musical tour titled Wasanthaye Aga to Europe from October 16. In 2019, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka conferred a lifetime achievement award for Jayakody for his contribution to the Sri Lankan music industry.{{cite web |url=http://www.lankadeepa.lk/news/විශාරද-එඩ්වඩ්-ජයකොඩිට-සබරගමු-සරසවියෙන්-සම්මානයක්/101-545171 |title=Award for Edward|publisher=Lankadeepa |access-date=2 August 2020}}

He has contributed playback singing to several films, including Seilama, Gedara Buddha Amma, Mangala Thagga, Himagira, Saroja and Kiri Kawadi. He made maiden cinema appearance in the musical film Guththila with the titular role.{{cite web |url=http://webgossip.lk/ප්%E2%80%8Dරවීණ-ගායක-එඩ්වඩ්-ජයකො/ |title=Edward Jayakody became an actor|publisher=webgossip |access-date=2 August 2020}}{{cite web |url=http://news.tharunaya.us/news-Art-26900.html |title=Edward Jayakod becomes an actor with 'Guttila'|publisher=tharunaya |access-date=2 August 2020}} Jayakody's album [https://bemusic.one/album/25235/edward-jayakody/dedunu-palama Deduna Palama] was released on April 6, 2003.

Jayakody has performed his solo musical concert titled Marambari since January 2010. So far, 13 Marambari concerts have been held in Italy alone. The series was a huge success in Canada,{{cite web |url=https://www.divaina.com/2016/04/22/cineart03.html |title=Edward - Charitha and Sharanya in Canada with Marambari |publisher=Divaina |access-date=2 August 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} London, France, Australia, New Zealand,{{cite web |url=http://www.silumina.lk/2019/08/31/රසඳුන/එඩ්වඩ්-චරිතා-“මාරම්බරී”-සමඟ-නවසීලන්තයට |title=Edward-Charitha to travel to New Zealand with Marambari|publisher=Silumina |access-date=2 August 2020}} Dubai and the United States.{{cite web |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2016/11/03/?fn=sa16110310|title=Edward Jayakody ‘Marambari’ Who bent us in America|publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=2 August 2020}} In November 2017, Marambari concert was held at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama.{{cite web |url=https://divaina.com/daily/index.php/cinama/3072-2017-11-16-13-33-05 |title='Marambari' at Apeksha Hospital |publisher=Divaina |access-date=2 August 2020 |archive-date=2019-04-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424144719/http://divaina.com/daily/index.php/cinama/3072-2017-11-16-13-33-05 |url-status=dead }} The tenth anniversary of Jayakody's Marambari solo concert was held on the evening of the 31 January 2020 at the Bandaranaike Memorial Conference Hall, Colombo.{{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2020/01/30/15264/විශාරද-එඩ්වඩ්-ජයකොඩිගේ-දස-වසරක-මාරම්බරී-සුගැයුම |title=Ten Years of Marambari by Scholar Edward Jayakody|publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=2 August 2020}}

Apart from singing, Jayakody made his maiden cinematic acting through the film Guththila where he played the titular role.

Jayakody is married to popular singer Charitha Priyadarshani. They married on 17 January 1991.{{cite web |url=http://news.tharunaya.us/news-Art-26451.html |title=Edward Charitha Let's see joy in the sweet home |publisher=tharunaya |access-date=2 August 2020}} The couple has one son, Chandeepa and one daughter, Sharanya Rasodi. Chandeepa was engaged to Deshaki de Silva.{{cite web |url=http://webgossip.lk/deshaki-chandeepa/ |title=You brought happiness to my heart and my heart stayed with you |publisher=Dinamina |access-date=2 August 2020}} To celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, Jayakody and Charitha remarried on the same date.{{cite web |url=https://gossip.hirufm.lk/8054/2016/01/edward-jayakody-chathurika-priyadarshani-25-wedding-anniversary.html |title=Edward and Charith reweds |publisher=Hiru FM |access-date=2 August 2020}}{{cite web |url=http://vinsaara.info/sinhala_article/show.php?id=51&cat=Art#.Xyb9qcLPzIU |title=We remarried to celebrate a successful 25 year marriage - Edward Jayakody|publisher=vinsaara |access-date=2 August 2020}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/02/17/spe07.asp Music and drama brought them together]
• [http://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2019/04/04/4215/%E0%B6%AD%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%AD%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%AD%E0%B6%BA%E0%B7%92-%E0%B6%85%E0%B6%B8%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%B8%E0%B6%BA%E0%B7%92-%E0%B6%B4%E0%B7%94%E0%B6%AD%E0%B6%BA%E0%B7%92-%E0%B6%91%E0%B6%9A%E0%B6%B8-%E0%B7%80%E0%B7%9A%E0%B6%AF%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F%E0%B7%80%E0%B6%9A තාත්තයි අම්මයි - පුතයි එකම වේදිකාවක]
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{{Sinhala Music |state=collapsed}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jayakody, Edward}}

Category:Living people

Category:1952 births

Category:20th-century Sri Lankan male singers

Category:Sri Lankan Roman Catholics

Category:Faculty of Nalanda College, Colombo

Category:Sinhalese singers

Category:Kala Suri

Category:Alumni of Nugawela Central College