Pou Vannary () was a

Cambodian Cambodian usually refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Cambodia ** Cambodian people (or Khmer people) ** Cambodian language (or Khmer language) ** For citizens and nationals of Cambodia, see Demographics of Cambodia ** Fo ...

singer active in the early 1970s. She was one of many Cambodian musicians believed to have perished during the

Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge (; ; km, ខ្មែរក្រហម, ; ) is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) and by extension to the regime through which the CPK ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. ...

regime starting in 1975.

History

Little is known of Pou Vannary's life and history, and her music career was very short. She was a late entrant in the thriving Cambodian rock and pop music scene of the 1960s and 70s, which initially had been fostered by Head of State

Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, Norodom Sihanouk filmography, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in vari ...

. That scene was first influenced by French and Latin American pop records that had been imported into Cambodia, and later by Western

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...

and

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...

via U.S. armed forces radio that had been broadcast to troops stationed nearby during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. Vannary was profiled in the 2015 documentary film on the history of Cambodian pop music, ''

Don't Think I've Forgotten ''Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll'' is a 2014 documentary film, directed by John Pirozzi, about Cambodian rock music in the 1960s and 1970s, before the Khmer Rouge regime and Cambodian genocide. Production The idea fo ...

''. According to research conducted for the film, Vannary was somewhat unusual among other female Cambodian pop singers of her time, due to her relaxed vocal style and ability to accompany herself on acoustic guitar in the mode of an American singer-songwriter.John Pirozzi and LinDa Saphan, liner notes, ''Don't Think I've Forgotten'', soundtrack, 2015. She could also speak English and specialized in translated versions of American/British pop songs. Her most widely-known recording today is a cover of

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

’s "

You've Got a Friend "You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer, songwriter, and musician Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, ''Tapestry'' (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor fr ...

" with Khmer lyrics. Like many of her contemporaries in Cambodian popular music, Vannary's career ended abruptly when the

gained control of the country in April 1975 and forced city dwellers to become farm workers to fulfill their visions of

agrarian socialism Agrarian socialism is a political ideology that promotes “the equal distribution of landed resources among collectivized peasant villages” This socialist system places agriculture at the center of the economy instead of the industrialization ...

and the eradication of all foreign and western influences (including music) from Cambodian society. Vannary disappeared during the ensuing

Cambodian genocide The Cambodian genocide ( km, របបប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍នៅកម្ពុជា) was the systematic persecution and killing of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge under the leadership of Communist Party of Kampuchea genera ...

and her exact fate is unknown. Few of her recordings have survived due to the chaos of the Khmer Rouge regime. Her rendition of "You’ve Got a Friend" appeared on the soundtrack to ''

'' in 2015, and a few more of her songs have appeared on compilations like the 2011 CD ''Cambodia Rock Spectacular!'' and ''Cambodia Rock Intensified!'', both being made by Lion Productions.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pou, Vannary 20th-century Cambodian women singers People who died in the Cambodian genocide Year of birth missing Year of death missing