J. A. Milton Perera was a leading playback singer of 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 cinema during the '60s and '70s.

Milton was born on May 9, 1929 the son of J. A. Edwin Perera, also known as Tabla Podi Appuhamy, an accomplished tabla

Tabla

The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...

 player. Inspired by his father, Milton became proficient on the tabla at a young age.

In 1940, Milton sang his first song for Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...

, "Alehi Bendi Jeewitha". It was written by Aloy Gunawardena around a Mohamed Sally melody. He subsequently had several popular songs on the radio, "Podi Kale Api Denna," "Oba Wewa Wewa Pahana Mage", "Sikuru liya Komala liya" and "Kalyaniye."

Milton debut to playback singing came with a song on Kurulu Bedda

Kurulu Bedda

Kurulu Bedda is a 1961 Sri Lankan drama written by P. K. D Seneviratne. It attempted to follow in the precedent set by Rekava and create a truly Sinhala film.-Plot:...

(1961). In his 30 year career in the field, he provided his voice to actors like Gamini Fonseka

Gamini Fonseka

Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka was a Sri Lankan film actor and politician.Fonseka was born on March 21, 1936 in Dehiwela the third child of William and Daisy Fonseka. Starting school at a Presbyterian institution, Gamini moved on to S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia...

, Joe Abeywickrama

Joe Abeywickrama

Gammana Patabendige Don John Abeywickrama was a Sri Lankan actor. He began acting in 1957 and achieved fame as a comedic actor...

, Tony Ranasinghe, Vijaya Kumaratunga

Vijaya Kumaratunga

Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga was a popular Sri Lankan film actor and politician, married to former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga from 1978 to his assassination in 1988.- Family life :In 1978, Kumaratunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike, daughter of the...

, Ananda Jayaratne, D. R. Nanayakkara

D. R. Nanayakkara

Don Ruter Nanayakkara was a leading character actor of Sri Lankan cinema. Playing lanky villains, Nanayakkara gained popularity in films like Rekava, Kurulu Bedda and Sikuru Tharuwa....

, Anthony C. Perera and Stanley Perera in such films as Adata Wediya Heta Hondai, Dheewarayo, Yatagiya Dawasa, Allapu Gedara, Bicycle Hora, Daru Duka, Sarawita, Ataweni Pudumaya, Chandiya

Chandiya (film)

Chandiya is a 1965 Sri Lankan action movie directed by Titus Thotawatte. In the country, it was the first of its genre to not borrow from Indian cinema.-Cast:*Gamini Fonseka – hoodlum*Anula Karunatillake – hoodlum's sister...

and Deiyange Theenduwa.

Milton died on October 24, 1991.