Folk singing cult hero dies aged 63

The world of Maltese folk singing lost one of its cult heroes on Wednesday night when Frans Baldacchino, known as il-Budaj, died of heart complications aged 63.

Having raised Maltese ghana through the social echelons and promoted this musical genre among those who had shunned it in the past, Mr Baldacchino leaves an irreplaceable void.

Those who knew him describe Mr Baldacchino as a genius in his own right, who without proper schooling mastered the art of rhyme and perfected folk singing.

A self-made man who devoured books, be they on philosophy or opera, and went on to publish two of his own, Mr Baldacchino was one of the island's ambassadors who travelled to numerous countries promoting one of Malta's oldest living traditions.

Though well known in particular circles, Mr Baldacchino also managed to make a name among the younger generations when he started performing with Etnika in 2001.

"Etnika's philosophy is based on showcasing people like il-Budaj, but his participation and input resulted in him showcasing us," Etnika's artistic director Andrew Alamango said.

Mr Alamango described Mr Baldacchino as a man "who just wanted to sing, eat good food and paint"; a man who would warmly welcome you in his house, offer hobz biz-zejt and talk endlessly about his passions.

"You would go to his house, spend a couple of hours with him and you'd enter his rhythm," he said.

"He was not an ordinary ghana singer, but a poet in his own right. A person of charm who was very aware of what was happening around him and who highlighted these social issues in his lyrics.

"He was an inspiration to us and he'll be sorely missed," he said.

Mr Baldacchino's wife Pawla spoke of his love for opera and how he was looking forward to attending the concert by Joseph Calleja next month.

"His aim was to lift ghana from the shadows to the status it deserved," she said, restraining her sobs.

Another friend of his, Lino Gatt, who was the National Orchestra's first chairman, described Mr Baldacchino as a man of "phenomenal intelligence" who could switch smoothly from one topic to the next.

"He was an affable person who wanted people to smile - it fuelled his music. He was also a very good judge of voices. Without any disrespect to his contemporaries, I believe he had no equal," Mr Gatt said.

This same sentiment was echoed by Charles Coleiro, who produces TV programmes on Maltese traditions.

"He was the doyen of ghana. I have fond memories of when we travelled to France together through the Alliance Française de Malte, and as result he became the first singer to put ghana on CD," he said.

"He was a gentle, yet outspoken man, who challenged established beliefs. I lost a great friend and Malta lost an ambassador."

Meanwhile, Labour spokespersons for culture, Justyne Caruana and Carmelo Abela, issued a statement describing Mr Baldacchino as a "complete artist" who was not only a folk singer and poet, but also a painter and sculptor.

"Maltese society has lost not only a person who made people happy through his music, but a man of strong values. We express solidarity with his wife and family at such a difficult moment."

The funeral is being held tomorrow morning at the Zejtun parish church at 8.30.