Background
Cabase was born in San Nicolas, Cebu City, to Roman Catholic parents, Sonsa (née Kabajar) and Ireneo Cabase. His father was an accordionist and a traveling musician with a Vaudeville group.
Cabase was born in San Nicolas, Cebu City, to Roman Catholic parents, Sonsa (née Kabajar) and Ireneo Cabase. His father was an accordionist and a traveling musician with a Vaudeville group.
Cabase was a singer, songwriter, musical director, computer musician, instrumentalist of at least 28 musical instruments, arranger, conductor, bandleader and musical director He is also known to his fans as Manny Cabase in the Philippines and/or Mahnee Cabase in the United States of America. Cabase is the father of the nationally-known singer, author, actress, Amapola. Cabase"s music is now included in the new Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum in Cebu City.
The Halad Museum opened its doors and honoring Cabase and other awardees February 02, 2010 Cabase was a child prodigy, learning to play piano on his own at 5 and learning guitar at age 6.
Attending academic schools halted his self-education but at age 13 he was a guitarist, vocalist, and arranger for the local band of San Nicolas. His rapidly developing talents not only as a performer but as composer and arranger launched Cabase to the position of Bandleader at only 17 years of age.
When the Music Makers disbanded, Cabase founded The Three Kings, which eventually evolved into the popular Vikings featuring Visayan singing stars: Stacs Huguete, Ramonito Delegate Rosario, Maning Aballe, and Art Maloy. The group disbanded in 1962.
Cabase composed close to a hundred songs (now considered Visayan classics) with Cebuano lyrcist - Saturnino A. Villarino, most notably: “,” “Patay’ng Buhi,” “,” “Carmen,Damgo Ko,” “,” to name a few.
In 1935 at the age of 15, Cabase became a member of the Cebu Swingmasters with his equally talented brothers Narding and Siux.