The Moonstones was an influential Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

n band, led by Clarence Wijewardene and Annesley Malewana

Annesley Malewana

-Life and career:Malewana was born in Ratnapura , and attended St. Joseph’s College in the capital city of Colombo. Upon leaving school, he met Clarence Wijewardena, who formed the group Moonstones...

. Originating in Ratnapura

Ratnapura

- Floods :The town of Ratnapura is situated in the flooding plain of the river Kalu. The town experiences regular floods usually in the month of May. There is no large dam across the Kalu, so this leaves the city at the mercy of nature's forces every year. Several proposals have been made to reduce...

, the group was one of the most popular Sri Lankan bands during the 1960s.

Formation

Wijewardene formed the group in 1966 after finding a fitting lead vocalist in friend Annesley Malawana. His earlier choice for the position, another friend, had failed to please his manager Sri Sangabo Corea. Corea named the group "The Moonstones" after the leading export of the group's hometown and for how talented he considered the band.

Success and dissolution

With a lineup set, the Moonstone(s) began to dominate Sinhala popular music with hits like "'Mango Nenda", "Kalu Mama", "Ruwan Puraya", and "Gonwassa" among others. Indrani Perera joined in 1968, and sang on several of the group's subsequent hits like "Dilhani." Wijewardene left in 1970. Annesley continued the group with Mike Gunesekera and had a hit single with "Dunhinda Manamali." The band eventually broke up; Malawana and Wijewardene reunited in a similar group, Super Golden Chimes.