Alston Koch

Alston Koch
Koch delivers a speech at 11th IIFA Awards
Background information
Birth name	Alston Koch
Born	Colombo, Sri Lanka(then Ceylon)
Genres	Ambient, pop, jazz, blues, folk, trance
Occupation(s)	Film Producer, Actor, Singer-songwriter, composer & entrepreneur
Years active	1975–present
Associated acts	The Sherifs
Website	alstonkoch.com Alston Koch Facebook

Alston Koch is a Sri Lanka born Australian singer-songwriter, film producer, record producer and actor. He was awarded "World Artist of The Year" at the Global Officials of Dignity Awards presented at the United Nations in New York and also received State of California Senate's Certificate of Recognition and Certificate of Special US Congressional Recognition for improving the lives of the communities in America.

He migrated to Sydney, Australia where he was most successful in the entertainment and professional music industry while recording for RCA/Laser Records and the Australian TV Network Channel 9's "Living Sound" recording label.

In Australia, he formed his band Dark Tan and recorded three international hits on the RCA label. He has performed internationally with Dark Tan, S-witch, and as a solo artist. One notable appearance was during 'The Stars & Stripes Concert' in 1976, perofming under the Sydney harbour bridge on a floating pontoon for Radio 2SM. Rock Brains Of The Universe and music historian Glenn A Baker has said that 'Alston & Dark Tan' were the originators of Disco Music in Australia. Since 1975 Koch has released 21 singles and 4 albums through record labels such as RCA, BMG, EMI and Sony.

In 1986 Alston Koch was selected and commissioned by the Australian Task Force to write, produce and perform the America's Cup album,The Kookaburra Connection with the theme song "Kookaburra" released both as a single and music video broadcast during the race.

His first self written major hit, "Disco Lady", earned him his first gold record. The song also won him and Dark Tan the 'Best New Talent' at the 1979 International Disc Jockey Association Awards (Before the ARIA'S ) and that same year Dark Tan won Australia's Observer newspaper's 'Best Disco Band' award.

The Daily Mirror (Australia) presented them with the Best Disco Band Award in 1978 and the producers of the Channel 10 TV show Thank God it's Friday presented the band with a Gold Disc during the performance of "Disco Lady".

Koch received his first ARIA (Accredited Award ) for Melissa 'Read My Lips' (1990). Three Gold Awards and one Platinum Award from ARIA (accredited) and a recipient of a Gold Disc from RCA/Laser Records in 1978 for "Disco Lady".

Since 2007, he has been the Ambassador for Tourism for Sri Lanka. In the same year, Koch wrote and performed an official song for The Sri Lankan cricketer and world record holder and world champion Muttiah Muralitharan.