Quang Le

Quang Le (1979-    ) is a popular overseas Vietnamese singer of traditional Vietnamese popular music.

Born as Le Huu Nghi on January 24, 1979 in Hue Vietnam, he is the third eldest in a family of six.  During the early 1990s, Quang Le and his family left Vietnam for the United States resettling in Missouri.  He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.  Since 2003, Quang Le has been signed with Thuy Nga Paris and has become one of the most popular performers on the Paris by Night stage.  Among his most well-received solo studio albums for the Thuy Nga Paris label include Sương Trắng Miền Quê Ngoại (2003), Xin Gọi Nhau Là Cố Nhân (2004), Đập Vỡ Cây Đàn (2007), Tương Tư Nàng Ca Sĩ (2009), Chuyện Tình Không Dĩ Vãng (2013) and Ở Hai Đầu Nỗi Nhớ (2014).  Quang Le has recorded duets with many other artists including Mai Thien Van, Tam Doan, Lam Anh, Ngoc Ha, Y Lan, Nhu Quynh and Ha Phuong.  He has performed live in concert for Vietnamese audiences all over the world and has become one of the biggest headliners among Vietnamese entertainers.  

Link(s):

Quang Le Entertainment on Youtube

Tam Doan

Tam Doan (1977-    ) is a popular overseas Vietnamese singer who had started her professional music career in Toronto, Canada during the early 1990s.  After signing with Van Son Entertainment in 1997 as an exclusive recording artist for the label, Tam Doan has established herself as a singing sensation with a fan base consisting of Vietnamese music lovers worldwide.  Since leaving Van Son Entertainment in 2001, Tam Doan has collaborated with several other major overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as Tinh Productions, Thuy Nga Paris and Asia Entertainment.

Born as Huynh Ngoc Tam Doan in Binh Duong, Vietnam on May 5, 1977, she is the eldest of two daughters.  From a very young age, Tam Doan had exemplified clear signs as a child prodigy in music.  Aside from her vocal talents, she had learned how to play various instruments such as the guitar, mandolin and clarinet.  In 1989, she along with her mother and younger sister lefter their homeland in Vietnam to be reunited with her father who had resettled in Toronto, Canada two years prior.  Eight years later, through an introduction by musician Tich Ha, Tam Doan was signed with Van Son Entertainment.  Within her first year under contract with Van Son Entertainment, she managed to establish herself as a household name among Vietnamese communities in four different continents appearing on four consecutive Van Son Entertainment live show music video productions, volumes 7-10.  Her unforgettable renditions of songs such as Tấm Ảnh Không Hồn writen by Lê Dinh, Chuyến Tàu Hoàng Hôn written by Minh Kỳ and Hoài Linh, Người Đã Quên written by Hàn Châu and Em Còn Bé Lắm Anh Ơi  written by Quốc Anh were widely received by viewer audiences of the Van Son Entertainment live show music video series and made Tam Doan into a star.  During her tenure at Van Son Entertainment, Tam Doan recorded a series of successful solo studio albums which included Tấm Ảnh Không Hồn (1998), Chuyến Tàu Hoàng Hôn (1998), Mùa Thu Có Nhớ (1999), Đếm Giọt Sầu Rơi (1999) and Anh Có Nghe Mưa Rơi (1999).  In addition to her solo efforts, Tam Doan also achieved extraordinary success with her duets for Van Son Entertainment with artists such as Truong Vu and Manh Quynh.  

By the year 2000, Tam Doan's popularity had reached the ranks of such top performers like Nhu Quynh, Phi Nhung, My Huyen and Ha Vy.  After 5 years as an exclusive artist for Van Son Entertainment, Tam Doan decided not to renew her contract with the label and accepted a more lucrative offer from Thuy Nga Paris.  Despite her collaboration with Thuy Nga Paris, Tam Doan did not abandon her former label altogether.  For the entirety of the 2000s decade, she continued to appear as a guest performer on ten more volumes of the live show music video series produced by Van Son Entertainment while simultaneously fulfilling her contractual obligations to Thuy Nga with regular appearances on the Paris by Night video series.  Among her most notable performances on video for Van Son Entertainment during this decade was on volume 41 in a duet number, Tân Cổ: Cho Vừa Lòng Em, with veteran Cai Luong performer Kim Tu Long impressing many of her fans with her vocal talents in Southern Vietnamese folk opera.  Tam Doan continued to shine as one of the brightest stars to grace the Paris by Night stage during the 2000s with her numerous solo performances, as well as her duets with various other artists such as Nhu Quynh, The Son, Huong Thuy and Huong Lan.  

Beginning in 2009, Tam Doan has also collaborated with another production label giant in the overseas Vietnamese music industry, Asia Entertainment.  Among her most popular performances on Asia Entertainment's live show music video series include Nhà Anh Nhà Em written by Anh Sơn, Mùa Hoa Anh Đào written by Thanh Sơn, Ai Lên Xứ Hoa Đào written by Hoàng Nguyên and Ai cho tôi tình yêu written by Trúc Phương.

After being in the spotlight for nearly two decades, Tam Doan shows no sign of slowing down in her career as a famous Vietnamese singer.  In addition to her lengthy professional association with Thuy Nga Paris, the largest overseas Vietnamese music production label, which remains to this day, Tam Doan also has formed her own successful production label, Tam Doan Entertainment.  She continues to record studio albums, appear on music videos and perform live in concert to sold out crowds all over the world.  Since February 4, 2006, Tam Doan has been happily married to overseas Vietnamese singer, Tien Dung.  Her younger sister, Kristine Sa, is an accomplished songwriter and overseas Vietnamese singer.  Tam Doan also runs and owns Tam Doan Shop, a spa and retail business located in the heart of Little Saigon in Orange County, California.  

Link(s):

Tam Doan Facebook Page
Tam Doan Shop Facebook Page
TamDoanShop.com

Ho Hoang Yen

Ho Hoang Yen (1976-    ) is a beautiful overseas Vietnamese singer that has been long associated with Asia Entertainment.

From early childhood, Ho Hoang Yen had developed a keen interest in music.  At the age of 5, she appeared on national television in Vietnam singing on a children's music program.  Ten years later, Ho Hoang Yen at age 15 enrolled in several courses at the prestigious Quoc Gia Âm Nhac (Saigon Conservatory of Music) to hone her craft in singing.  At age 20, Ho Hoang Yen became a professional singer.  In the circuit of cabarets and nightclubs in Ho Chi Minh City, she had acquired a following of loyal patrons who were in awe of her striking physical beauty, stage presence and angelic singing voice.  Ho Hoang Yen performed nightly at various major venues around downtown Ho Chi Minh City including Lido, Cadillac, Queen Bee and Liberty.


In 2001, Ho Hoang Yen and her family resettled in the United States.  For the first five years, they lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during which she had put her singing career on hold.  In 2006, songwriter Dieu Huong, who had been a longtime admirer of Ho Hoang Yen's voice, approached her to record one of her songs, Hỏi Tình, for an upcoming compilation album entitled as Cho Dòng Sông Cuốn Trôi.  That recording would spark the attention of Thy Van and Truc Ho at Asia Entertainment.  Two years later, Ho Hoang Yen made her debut music video appearance for Asia Entertainment on volume 58 paired with singer Quoc Khanh for a duet medley of Đêm Cuối Cùng written by Pham Dinh Chuong and Một Chuyến Bay Đêm written by Song Ngoc and Hoai Linh.  Ho Hoang Yen has since appeared in a total of 16 volumes of the Asia Entertainment live show video series.  She has recorded many duets and ensembles for Asia Entertainment teamed up with other artists such as Bang Tam, Nguyen Hong Nhung, Le Anh Quan, Y Phung, Dan Nguyen, My Huyen, Diem Lien, Nhat Truong and Phuong Hong Que.  Among her most popular solo performances for Asia Entertainment include Bài Tango Riêng Cho Em written by Hoang Nguyen, Bao Giờ Biết Tương Tư written by Pham Duy, Buồn written by Y Van, Buồn Trong Kỷ Niệm written by Truc Phuong and Như Giọt Sầu Rơi written by Anh Viet Thu.  Ho Hoang Yen has recorded two solo studio albums for Asia Entertainment, Bão Tình (2010) and Tình Lỡ (2012).  She has performed at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.  

 Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015

Next 10 Overseas Vietnamese Celebs Featured

We have now a total of 250 profiled Viet celebs.  The next ten to be featured are the following overseas Vietnamese celebrities since 1975.

Overseas Viet Celebs Post '75:

Ho Hoang Yen:  Singer

Tam Doan:  Singer

Quang Le:  Singer

Van Anh:  Singer

Lam Anh:  singer

Viet Thao:  Emcee and Voice Over Actor

Diep Thanh Thanh:  Singer

Y Phung:  Singer and Actress

Ngoc Anh:  Singer on Paris By Night

Dan Nguyen:  Singer

Thai Thao

Thai Thao (1961-    ) is a famous overseas Vietnamese singer.  Her father was legendary Vietnamese songwriter/composer Pham Duy and her mother was singer Thai Hang.  She has been married to singer Tuan Ngoc for over 20 years.

Born in Saigon in 1961 to one of the most famous families in the history of Vietnamese popular music, Thai Thao is the 5th eldest out of eight children.  At the age of 14, she along with both her parents, older sister Thai Hien and two younger siblings left Vietnam for the United States, while her four older brothers remained in Vietnam.  They spent their first two years in the United States living in Florida before resettling permanently in Orange County, California during the summer of 1977.

With the arrivals to United States of her older brothers, Duy Minh, Duy Hung and Duy Cuong, from Vietnam and her eldest brother and then sister-in-law, Duy Quang and Julie Quang, from France, their family band known as The Dreamers were reformed in 1979 with an added new member, Thai Thao.  During the early 1980s, at live performances with her family band Thai Thao began covering in both English and Vietnamese songs of music genres known as Euro New Wave and Italo Disco such as Leo Lên Xe Này (Jump in May Car), Hỡi Cô Bé (Hey Girl), Cầu Cứu Tình Yêu (S.O.S For Love) and Mắt Nâu Đen (Ebony Eyes), which were extremely popular with the younger Vietnamese audience at the time.

In 1985, at the age of 24 Thai Thao delved into her singing career full force.  She began recording for various overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as Dạ Lan, Asia Entertainment, Thúy Anh and Dream Musical Productions, which was headed by her eldest brother, Duy Quang.   Among her most popular recorded songs during this period included Tình Yêu (Con El Cha Cha), Đừng Nói Đã Quên (Don't Say You Don't Remember), Nàng Đã Ra Đi (Run Away) and Anh Và Em (You And Me).  At a concert honoring her aunt, legendary Vietnamese singer Thai Thanh, simply entitled as Thái Thanh - Đêm Tái Ngộ held in Los Angeles, California sometime after she had just arrived to the United States from Vietnam in 1985, Thai Thao greatly impressed the live audience with her duet performance with her older sister, Thai Hien, of Khúc Hát Thanh Xuân written by her father, Pham Duy.  This would mark the first time Thai Thao, who until then was known for her interpretations of songs originally written in English, was seen performing Vietnamese music at a large gathering.  

During the 1980s, Thai Thao had become a headliner at many different Vietnamese nightclubs and cabarets in Orange County, California.  In 1987, she along with singers Lilian and Tuyet Huong (formerly of the trio, Apple 3) were the three principal singers for the Trung Nghia band which headlined weekly at Club Rex in Santa Ana, California.  Thai Thao stayed on as a weekly headliner when Club Rex was bought over by her brother, Duy Quang and his then wife, My Ha, renaming it to Đêm Đông Phương two years later.  She also was a headliner at Diamond Nightclub, Queen Bee, Saigon Cabaret and finally, her longest tenure at the Majestic during the 1990s and 2000s.  

Thai Thao has recorded several studio albums including a duet album with Thai Hien featuring a collection of Euro New Wave/ Italo Disco songs recorded in English and Vietnamese produced by Duy Quang and released by Thuy Anh, Người Trong Mơ (1987), and two solo albums for Dream Musical Productions, Tình Em (1991) and Rời Nhau (1993).  She has appeared on music videos for Asia Entertainment, Khanh Ha Productions, Van Son Entertainment and Thuy Nga Paris.  

Married to fellow singer, Tuan Ngoc, since 1994, Thai Thao is the mother of two grown children, a son from a previous marriage and a daughter from her current marriage.  In 2004, Thai Thao announced her retirement from the singing profession, but occasionally performs with her husband at his live shows upon requests from audience members.  

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

Duy Trac

Duy Trac (1932-    ) is a famous Vietnamese singer who had initially gained prominence in Saigon prior to 1975.

Born as Khuat Duy Trac in 1932 in Son Tay, a suburb of Hanoi, he relocated to Saigon in 1954.  Duy Trac began his singing career while still a law student during the late 1950s.  He sang primarily for Radio Vietnam and recorded for several major record labels in South Vietnam, but rarely performed for live audiences.  Despite having completed his studies and an established career as a lawyer, Duy Trac continued with his professional singing career throughout the 1960s until the Fall of Saigon in 1975.  He recorded and released a total of three studio albums prior to 1975 in Saigon and also made guest appearances on albums featuring ensembles of other artists such as Tình Ca 1 with Khanh Ly, Thanh Lan and Si Phu and Tứ Quý with Khanh Ly, Le Thu and Tuan Ngoc, both of which were released in 1971.  Among his most popular recorded songs include Áo Lụa Hà Đông written by Ngo Thuy Mien and Nguyen Sa, Mắt Biếc written by Ngo Thuy Mien, Đôi Mắt Người Sơn Tây written by Pham Dinh Chuong, Đường Em Đi written by Pham Duy and Một Ngày Vui Mùa Đông written by Le Uyen Phuong, for which he had recorded as a duet with singer Khanh Ly.  

After the Fall of Saigon in 1975, Duy Trac was ordered by the new communist regime to reeducation camp for many years.  He was finally released in 1988.  Four years later, Duy Trac and his family left their native Vietnam to resettle in the United States.  In 1993, he recorded a solo studio album for Thuy Nga Paris entitled as Còn Tiếng Hát Gửi Người.  Duy Trac would continue with his brief collaboration with Thuy Nga Paris with a couple of appearances on volumes 20 and 21 of the popular video series, Paris By Night.  In 1995, he recorded his final album, Giã Từ (Goodbye), for Diem Xua Productions.  Duy Trac resides in Houston, Texas.  

Son Ca

Son Ca (1953-    ) is a famous Vietnamese singer.

Born as Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nga in 1953 in Saigon, South Vietnam, she was the eldest in a family of six children.  After graduating from high school, she enrolled at University of Saigon, School of Law in 1971.  It was there where she actively involved in performing arts singing for various music programs put together by the university.  In between semesters, she also enrolled in a few classes at Quoc Gia Am Nhac, Saigon Conservatory of Music and befriended a fellow student by the name of Bui Thien who would become her voice coach.  At the beginning of her sophomore year at University of Saigon, School of Law she would meet legendary songwriter/composer/show promoter Hoang Thi Tho who was instantaneously taken by her clear, sweet singing voice.  Through his personal invitation, she became a regular performer in his revue at the prestigious Maxim's Cabaret in Saigon.  She then became known as Son Ca, a name that Hoang Thi Tho highly approved of which was also the name of one of her father's former girlfriends.  In a short period of time, Son Ca gained national prominence through her appearances on Chương Trình Hoàng Thi Thơ , a popular television and program hosted by the musician himself.  She also became a frequent guest on another popular television show, Nghệ Sĩ Với Chiến Sĩ, produced by Nguyen Dinh Toan.  

In 1974, Son Ca recorded her first studio album which was self-titled and produced by Nguyen Van Dong for the Continental record label in South Vietnam.  Among her most well-received songs from the debut album included Mùa Thu Cho Em written by Ngo Thuy Mien, Bây Giờ Tháng Mấy? written by Tu Cong Phung and all three versions of Hòn Vọng Phu written by Le Thuong.  Son Ca also recorded for other major record labels in South Vietnam including Viet Nam and Shotguns.  Her name became linked with a string of hit songs Hoang Thi Tho had written especially for her to record such as Đám Cưới Trên Đường Quê, Rước Tình Về Với Quê Hương, Tình Ca Trên Lúa and Gạo Trắng Trăng Thanh.  Among her other popular songs included Gánh Lúa written by Pham Duy, Duyên Nước Tình Trăng written by Hoang Nguyen, Tàu Về Quê Hương written by Hong Van and what would become known as her signature song, Cô Thắm Về Làng written by Giao Tien which she had recorded for the Shotguns label as a duet with singer Thai Chau.  Right around this time, Son Ca teamed up with her former classmate and close friend, Bui Thien, to become one of the most popular singing duos in South Vietnam.  Their most popular hit song recorded together was Đưa Em Qua Cánh Đồng Vàng written by Hoang Thi Tho.  

After the Fall of Saigon in 1975, Son Ca continued her career as a singer collaborating with theater troupes headed by Kim Cuong and by Tham Thuy Hang.  In 1976, she married and started a family with the birth of a daughter the following year.  In the summer of 1979, she along with her husband, young daughter and a younger sister fled from communist Vietnam by boat landing at a refugee camp in Thailand where they remained for six months before resettling in the United States on January of 1980.  

During their first year in the United States, Son Ca and her family lived in San Jose, California.  In 1981, she along with her husband and their 4-year-old daughter relocated to Houston, Texas for work as they helped run and operate a gas station/convenience store owned by a family friend.  After three years living in Houston, Son Ca decided to resume her singing career and packed up for Orange County, Calfornia, home of the largest concentrated Vietnamese-American population.  With the money she had saved up during the previous years working in Houston, Son Ca took a gamble and produced a studio album in 1984 entitled as Tiếng Hát Sơn Ca Hải Ngoại and distributed by Thanh Lan music production label.  The gamble would pay off as her first album produced overseas would generate a sizable profit for Son Ca as it sold quite well within overseas Vietnamese communities across the United States and abroad.  From 1984 until 1990, Son Ca produced over a dozen studio albums which also featured recordings by various overseas Vietnamese singers such as Bui Thien, Khanh Ly, Thanh Tuyen, Phuong Dung, Giao Linh, Huong Lan, Lilian and Phuong Hoai Tam.  She also toured extensively performing at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.  

Son Ca has appeared on music videos for various overseas Vietnamese production labels such as Diem Quynh, Van Nghe Viet Nam, Washington Night, Thuy Nga Paris and Asia Entertainment.  She first appeared on the popular Paris By Night video series produced by Thuy Nga Paris in 1986 for volumes 2 and 3 performing Thương Quá Việt Nam written by Pham The My and Lien Khuc Tinh Ca, respectively.  Eleven years later, she would be invited back on the Paris By Night stage for volumes 41 and 47, both of which were filmed in Toronto, Canada paying tribute to the music of Hoang Thi Tho.  Son Ca's last Paris By Night performance to date was in a duet with Thai Chau, Bài Ngợi Ca Quê Hương for volume 83 released in 2006.  For Asia Entertainment, Son Ca has appeared on volumes 65-68 which were filmed from 2010 until 2011 with performances of songs such as Rước Tình Về Với Quê Hương in a duet with singer Ngoc Huyen, Việt Nam Ơi! Ngày Vui Đã Tới, Ngày Xuân Vui Cưới in a duet with Chi Tam and Saigon, performed as a trio with Phuong Hong Que and Bang Chau.

In 1990, Son Ca's marriage of 14 years ended in divorce.  Five years later, she remarried to an Australian citizen of Vietnamese descent and moved to Brisbane, Australia.  In recent years, Son Ca has been actively involved in Thiền Ca Vo-Vi, a non-profit organization which promotes spiritual enrichment, and performs for many of the organization's benefit live shows around the world.