Vesak Labanawa - Edward Jayakody

Edward Jayakody (born April 6, 1952 in Kegalle, Sri Lanka) is a Sri Lankan musician, singer and composer. Jayakody had directed the music for hundreds of Sinhala films and television serials; he has also composed many songs for children's programming ("Koppara Koppara").

Jayakody won the Swarna Sanka Award in 1987 for Best Male Singer for the film Gedara Budun Amma. He won Best Music Director in 1979 and 1980 for the plays Nidane and Aparadaya Saha Danduwama.

Early life
Jayakody was born Jayakody Arachchige Don Edward Timothy Jayakody, the sixth child of Don Raphial Jayakody and Victoria Jayakody on April 6, 1952 in Hettimulla, Kegalle, Sri Lanka. His family was Catholic. Jayakody received his early education at Bandaranaike Junior School, and received his secondary education at St. Mary's College of Kegalle. He joined the church choir while attending Bandaranaike and learned music while at St. Mary's, under teacher H. Samarapala.

Work in music
During the period from 1968 to 1976, Jayakody participated in the Maliban Guwan Thotilla and in amateur music programmes. 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 programmes conducted by popular musicians. At that time he started releasing cassettes and his career took off.
He was the music teacher at Nalanda College Colombo in mid 1980s.

Jayakody's album Deduna Palama was released on April 6, 2003.

Personal life
Jayakody married singer Charitha Priyadarshani in 1991, and has a son Chandeepa Sharanath and a daughter Sharanya Rasodi. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.