To his numerous friends he is not gone nor is he dead, forhe lives in their hearts and they keep his memories alive in many ways. An‘Alfred Rose Fan Group’ started on Facebook by his fan and admirer, EdwardVerdes, a Goan expatriate based in Saudi Arabia, has 1654 fans till date and itcontinues to grow. All his friends and fans discuss and debate the contributionof late Alfred Rose to Konkani music.
Late Alfred Rose had many firsts to his credit. He was the first Konkani stageartist to present a Konkani show on the Mumbai Doordarshan. He was the first toproduce a Konkani audio cassette. He was the first to conceptualize, produceand present the first ever Konkani musical show on the Konkani stage. This wasfollowed by yet another novelty of sorts when he staged a Konkani musical showexclusively on a minus one track without the presence of musicians whatsoever. Besidesproducing the maximum number of Konkani songs LP records with the music companyHMV in Mumbai, he also holds the enviable record of producing 40 audiocassettes of his own. HMV had given him the title of ‘Man with the goldenvoice.’ Vingans ‘Monte Christochem’ and ‘Monis vo Devchar’ are the two Konkaninovels penned by him.
Various activities to celebrate the Konkani singing icon’s 80th birthanniversary began in April 2012 itself in Goa when F.C. Global Music inassociation with V Events produced and staged a Konkani musical bonanza at theKala Acadamy auditorium in Panjim on April 22. Come August 5 and many moreshows to pay tribute to the man with the golden voice are planned in severalplaces including USA and London. Two shows are slated for August 5 and 6 atMatunga and Borivali in Mumbai respectively by Maharashtra Konkani KalaSonstha.
