Julito Rodriguez
Encyclopedia
Julito Rodríguez born October 5, 1925 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, is a bolero
singer, guitar
ist & composer
.
Rodriguez was acknowledged to be a child prodigy
in music, becoming interested in this topic since his early childhood. His father encouraged him to study the violin
and soon, he joined the Banda Hatuey as a substitute.
After moving across the island to Ponce
, a town located in the south coast, he organized the "Orquesta Hatuey de Ponce".
Julito Rodriguez got his first guitar as a present from his mother. He returned to San Juan in 1946, to study at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, there he joined the ROTC band directed by Rafael Alers
. By 1947, Rodriguez had found a new musical passion in the "trio" music. His first "trio" was named "Los Romanceros". The group enjoyed considerable success until 1950, when Rodriguez decided to join the United States military.
Rafael Hernández helped Rodriguez decide to join the world famous trio, Los Panchos
, in 1952. With Los Panchos, Rodriguez's fame expanded beyond Puerto Rico and the rest of Latin America, as the group made several tours that also included Spain, Portugal, Italy and even Israel
and Lebanon
in the Middle East. Julito Rodriguez became an idol in Mexico as well, recording 122 songs as a member of Los Panchos in that country.
Rodriguez, as a composer, wrote one of the classic
s of the Latin American bolero repertory
: Mar y cielo (Sea and Sky).
-...el mar y el cielo, se ven igual de azules, y en la distancia, parece que se unen...-.
Julito Rodríguez was succeeded at Los Panchos by Johnny Albino
. Nevertheless, he continued active in trio music, forming the "Trio Los Primos" group. In 1961, this group became the first Puerto Rican trio to perform at New York's Radio City Music Hall
. The group later changed its name to "Julito Rodriguez and his Trio". Julito Rodiguez and his Trio was composed of Junior Nazario, best second voice on Puerto Rico, and Rafael Scharron. Scharron is considered the best "requinto," first guitar of Puerto Rico. Julito Rodriguez and his Trio stayed together for more than 16 years. Julito Rodriguez, Junior Nazario and Rafael Scharron are considered one of the best trios of Puerto Rico. Together they participated in movies and traveled all over the world representing the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and entertaining thousands with beautiful music.
By 1975, Rodriguez had once again moved on, this time around to form "Los Tres Grandes" ("The Three Great Ones"), alongside Tato Díaz and Miguel Alcaide. The trio
recorded nine LP albums, and remained together until 1983, after which Rodriguez returned to a more private life.
Rodriguez and Albino were joined in 2000 during a series of concerts, to commemorate their respective eras as members of Los Panchos.
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
singer, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist & composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Rodriguez was acknowledged to be a child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
in music, becoming interested in this topic since his early childhood. His father encouraged him to study the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and soon, he joined the Banda Hatuey as a substitute.
After moving across the island to Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, a town located in the south coast, he organized the "Orquesta Hatuey de Ponce".
Julito Rodriguez got his first guitar as a present from his mother. He returned to San Juan in 1946, to study at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, there he joined the ROTC band directed by Rafael Alers
Rafael Alers
Rafael Alers was a musician, composer, bandleader and the first Puerto Rican to compose the music score for a Hollywood feature film.-Early years:...
. By 1947, Rodriguez had found a new musical passion in the "trio" music. His first "trio" was named "Los Romanceros". The group enjoyed considerable success until 1950, when Rodriguez decided to join the United States military.
Rafael Hernández helped Rodriguez decide to join the world famous trio, Los Panchos
Los Panchos
Los Panchos was an internationally famous Latin pop trio known for its romantic ballads and boleros.-History:...
, in 1952. With Los Panchos, Rodriguez's fame expanded beyond Puerto Rico and the rest of Latin America, as the group made several tours that also included Spain, Portugal, Italy and even Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in the Middle East. Julito Rodriguez became an idol in Mexico as well, recording 122 songs as a member of Los Panchos in that country.
Rodriguez, as a composer, wrote one of the classic
Classic
The word classic means something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality. The word can be an adjective or a noun . It denotes a particular quality in art, architecture, literature and other cultural artifacts...
s of the Latin American bolero repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
: Mar y cielo (Sea and Sky).
-...el mar y el cielo, se ven igual de azules, y en la distancia, parece que se unen...-.
Julito Rodríguez was succeeded at Los Panchos by Johnny Albino
Johnny Albino
Johnny Albino was a Puerto Rican bolero singer, born in Yauco.-Biography:Albino played and sang through his youth years. It wasn't until years later, however, that he would get a chance to sing as part of an organized act...
. Nevertheless, he continued active in trio music, forming the "Trio Los Primos" group. In 1961, this group became the first Puerto Rican trio to perform at New York's Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
. The group later changed its name to "Julito Rodriguez and his Trio". Julito Rodiguez and his Trio was composed of Junior Nazario, best second voice on Puerto Rico, and Rafael Scharron. Scharron is considered the best "requinto," first guitar of Puerto Rico. Julito Rodriguez and his Trio stayed together for more than 16 years. Julito Rodriguez, Junior Nazario and Rafael Scharron are considered one of the best trios of Puerto Rico. Together they participated in movies and traveled all over the world representing the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and entertaining thousands with beautiful music.
By 1975, Rodriguez had once again moved on, this time around to form "Los Tres Grandes" ("The Three Great Ones"), alongside Tato Díaz and Miguel Alcaide. The trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
recorded nine LP albums, and remained together until 1983, after which Rodriguez returned to a more private life.
Rodriguez and Albino were joined in 2000 during a series of concerts, to commemorate their respective eras as members of Los Panchos.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican Songwriters