Phuong Hong Que

Phương Hồng Quế (1953-    ) is a popular Vietnamese singer.

Born as Nguyễn Thị Quế on June 19, 1953 in Saigon, South Vietnam, she grew up as one of five daughters in a comfortable middle-class family.  Her father was the owner of one of Saigon's most prominent tailor shops that specialized in men's suits.  From an early age, Phuong Hong Que had developed a keen interest in music as she started listening to recordings of famous Vietnamese singers of the day particularly her idol, Phuong Dung.  At the age of 10, she became a protegée of legendary music instructor, Nguyen Duc, and soon after, joined the musical youth singing troupe he had formed in Saigon known as Viet Nhi which consisted of Phuong Hong Hanh, Phuong Hoai Tam, Kim Loan and Phuong Hong Ngoc.  In 1968, Phuong Hong Que was formally introduced to the Vietnamese music industry with an appearance on national television in South Vietnam performing her very first recorded song, Mot Nguoi Di written by Mai Chau.  Her natural charm and presence captured on the small screen in South Vietnam would lead to numerous invitations to appear on other national televised music programs such as Tieng Thuy Duong hosted by Chau Ky, Truong Son hosted by Duy Khanh and Chuong Trinh Pham Manh Cuong hosted by Pham Manh Cuong, himself.  Phuong Hong Que had become one of South Vietnam's most popular rising young stars and recorded for several major record labels in South Vietnam such as Kim Dang, Nghe Thuat-Tam Anh, Premier, Hoa Mi, Thuong Ca, Song Nhac, Asia, Viet Nam and Du Am.  As a live performer, she headlined for various cabarets and music venues throughout Saigon and toured extensively all over South and Central Vietnam in support of ARVN troops during the Vietnam War.  Among Phuong Hong Que's most popular songs prior to 1975 included Gio Nay Anh O Dau, Vuon Tao Ngo, Chuyen Tinh Hoang Hon, Doi Nga Chia Ly, Tinh Yeu Mau Tim, Ke Den Sau and Pho Dem.

The comfortable lifestyle Phuong Hong Que had grown accustomed to for years as a rising star in the music industry of South Vietnam all of the sudden came to a screeching halt after the Fall of Saigon.  Like many other artists who had performed in support of ARVN troops in the Vietnam War, she was then banned by the new communist regime from working in Ho Chi Minh City as a professional singer and prohibited from using her professional stage name, as well.  During these difficult years, Phuong Hong Que was forced to find other ways to make money in order to survive.  She set up a vending kiosque that would grow into a local convenience store on the first floor of her house selling anything from cigarettes, fabrics, books to clothing.  Although she was able to make ends meet in a new career as a businesswoman, Phuong Hong Que could not stay away from her love of music and live performing.  A couple of years would pass before she would begin collaborations with several singing troupes that performed at live shows held in smaller towns in provinces of rural Southern Vietnam billed under the name Hong Que.  By 1980, Phuong Hong Que would regain her right to work performing at live shows in Ho Chi Minh City.  That was when she joined the Kim Cuong singing troupe, formed by the legendary stage and film actress, billed still under the name of Hong Que.  Another artist with similar restrictions imposed during this time was singer Thanh Lan who was then billed as Lan Thanh at live performances in Ho Chi Minh City.  Eventually, the communist regime in Vietnam would loosen such restrictions and allow all performance artists that had gained prominence prior to 1975 the full usage of their original professional stage names.

In 1979, Phuong Hong Que met and married a physician.  The couple would have two children, a son and daughter in the years that followed.  With the onset of tourist arrivals, predominantly Viet Kieu, former nationals of Vietnam, in 1986 Phuong Hong Que became one of the first entrepreneurs to cash in on Vietnam's newly developed booming tourism industry when she along with two of her close friends partnered to open up Phuong Hong Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City.  Equipped with a full bar and stage, the restaurant at night would transform into a cabaret which quickly became a favorite spot among Viet Kieu tourists.  Meanwhile, Phuong Hong Que had also enjoyed a career resurgence as a professional singer during the 1980s.  Despite her success, she decided to leave behind her life of stability in Vietnam to begin a new life in the United States.  This decision was by far not an easy one as her husband of 12 years had chosen to remain in Vietnam.  According to Phuong Hong Que the key factor in making her decision had to do with the futures of her two children.  In 1991, she along with her mother, younger sister and two children left their native homeland to resettle in Orange County, California.

Cover Photo of Duet Album
of Thai Chau and Phuong Hong Que, Ngay Do (2006)

Upon her arrival in the United States in 1991, Phuong Hong Que immediately resumed her career as a Vietnamese singer for the overseas Vietnamese community and began collaborations with Thuy Nga Paris.  As a regular performer on the Paris By Night stage, Phuong Hong Que appeared on 10 volumes of the popular live show music video series released during the years between 1992 until 1995.  Among her most memorable
appearances on Paris By Night include her solo performances of Chieu Cuoi Tuan, written by Truc Phuong, a medley of Chuyen Hen Ho and 7 Ngay Doi Mong, written by Nhat Truong and Noi Buon Chau Pha, written by Le Dinh along with several duets with other singers like Duy Quang, Anh Khoa and Son Ca.  During the Tet season of 2008, Phuong Hong Que appeared on Paris By Night Volume 85, with singer Ngoc Dan Thanh performing a duet medley of songs written by Nhat Truong, Phut Giao Mua and Ngay Dau Mot Nam.  This would mark her first return return to the Paris By Night stage in over a decade.  Phuong Hong Que has also enjoyed a long standing professional association with Asia Productions which has spanned more than two decades beginning in 1994 when she was among the lineup of singers featured on the very first volume of the label's popular live show music video series.  She has made appearances on many more volumes of Asia Productions' live show music video series which have included several duets with Tuan Vu, Thanh Phong and Giang Tu, as well as a string of memorable performances as a trio together with her former singing partners, Phuong Hong Ngoc and Phuong Hoai Tam, both of which had been members of the Viet Nhi Singing Troupe.  Phuong Hong Que has recorded for several major overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as Giang Ngoc, Truong Thanh and Tu Quynh and has also formed her own music production label, PHQ Productions, which has released over a dozen of her solo studio albums since its inception in 1991.  Among her most popular albums produced and released by PHQ Productions have included Dan Ong (1993), Boi Bac (1994), Giong Le (1995) and Chuyen Tinh Khong Doan Ket (1996).  Phuong Hong Que has also recorded several well-received duet albums together with other singers such as Thai Chau, Nhat Truong and Tuan Vu.

In addition to her career in music, Phuong Hong Que has also been a successful businesswoman since relocating to the United States.  Among the businesses she has owned have included a travel agency in which she had opened up during her first year living in the United States, a flower shop named Melody Flowers located in Garden Grove, California which remains in operation to this day, and an import/export business she had started during the late 1990s.  Phuong Hong Que lives in Fountain Valley, California in a house she had purchased just two years after arriving in the United States from Vietnam.