El Nazareno - Musica

Ismael Rivera Also Known As "El Sonero Mayor" The Premiere Improviser October 5 1931 – May 13 1987 Was A Renowned Composer And Singer Of Salsa Music. Early Life Rivera Nicknamed "Maelo" Born In Santurce Puerto Rico Was The First Of Five Children Born To Luis And Margarita Rivera. His Father Luis Was A Carpenter And His Mother A Housewife. As A Child Rivera Was Always Singing And Banging On Cans With Sticks. He Received His Primary Education At The Pedro G. Goyco Elementary School And Then Went On To Learn Carpentry At A Vocational School. He Shined Shoes To Help His Family Financially And When He Was 16 Years Old He Worked As A Carpenter. During His Free Time He Would Hang Around The Corner With His Best Friend Rafael Cortijo And Sing Songs. In 1948 Rivera And Cortijo Joined El Conjunto Monterrey Where Rivera Played The Conga And Cortijo The Bongos. Rivera Was Unable To Work Full-Time As A Musician Due To The Fact That He Worked As A Carpenter. Musical Career In 1952 Rivera Joined The U.S. Army But Was Quickly Discharged As He Didn't Speak English. When He Returned To Puerto Rico He Went To Work As A Lead Singer With Orquesta Panamericana Thanks To The Recommendation Of His Friend Cortijo. With Orq. Panamericana Ismael Rivera Recorded And Scored His First Hits With The Songs El Charlatan Ya Yo Sé La Vieja En Camisa The Old Lady In A Shirt And La Sazon De Abuela Grandma's Spice . However An Incident Between Rivera And Another Band Member Over A Girl Led To His Departure From The Popular Band. Recordings In 1954 He Joined Cortijo's Combo And Recorded The Following Songs Which Soon Became Hits In The American Latino Community * El Bombon De Elena * El Negro Bembón * Juan José * Besitos De Coco * Palo Que Tu Me Das * Quitate De La Via Perico * Oriza * El Chivo De La Campana * Maquinolandera * El Yayo * María Teresa * Yo Soy Del Campo El Sonero Mayor Cortijo's Combo Continued To Gain Fame And So Did Rivera's Reputation As A Lead Singer. Benny Moré Visited The Island And Was Impressd With Rivera's Voice He Baptized Rivera "El Sonero Mayor" The Great Sonero . The Band Went To New York City And Played In The Famed Palladium Ballroom Where The Orchestras Of Tito Rodriguez Tito Puente And Charlie Palmieri Also Played. In 1959 Rivera Together With Cortijo And His Combo Participated In The European Produced Movie Titled Calipso Starring Harry Belafonte. He Traveled With Cortijo's Combo Which Also Included Rafael Ithier And Roberto Roena To Europe Central And South America. Rivera Was Arrested For Drug Possession After A Trip To Panama With The Cortijo Combo. According To Later Reports Various Band Members Regularly Concealed Illegal Drug Shipments But This Time The Customs Inspectors Were Waiting For Them. Rivera Took The Fall Sparing Other Members. But This Event Led To The Break-Up Of Cortijo's Combo. Shortly After Rafael Ithier Regrouped Some Of The Former Members And Formed El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico. Upon His Release From Jail Rivera Formed His Own Band Called Ismael Rivera And His Cachimbos. This Successful Band Lasted For Eight Years. Rivera Reunited With Cortijo And Recorded Juntos Otra Vez Together Again . Later Rivera Went Solo And Did Well With The Recordings Of El Sonero Mayor And Volare Salsa Style . He Was To Score His Greatest Hit With Las Caras Lindas De Mi Gente Negra The Pretty Faces Of My Black People Written By Tite Curet Alonso. One Of His Last Public Performances Was In Paris As An Opener For Bob Marley In 1979. Later Years The Death Of His Childhood Friend Rafael Cortijo In 1982 Affected Him Emotionally To The Point That He Couldn't Sing In The Tribute To Cortijo Celebrated At The Roberto Clemente Coliseum. Rivera Was Actively Involved In The Creation Of A Historical Museum Which Depicts The Contributions Made To The Cultural Life Of Puerto Rico By The Black Puerto Ricans. Rivera Was A Faithful Pilgrim Of The Black Christ Procession In Portobelo Panama From 1975 To 1985 1 And Even Wrote A Song About The Black Christ Known Affectionately As "El Nazareno". 4 On October 5 2008 Puerto Rico's Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá Signed A Proclaim Stating That Every Anniversary Of Rivera's Birth Will Be Celebrated As "Día Conmemorativo Del Natalicio De Ismael Rivera". Legacy Ismael Rivera Died On May 13 1987 In The Arms Of His Mother Margarita From A Heart Attack. Celia Cruz Recorded A Tribute To Ismael Rivera And So Did Dario Y Su ComboRican. 6 On September 27 2001 The Puerto Rican Senate Approved The Law #134 Declaring October 5 As "Ismael Rivera Day". In Villa Palmeras Santurce Puerto Rico There Is A Plaza Named "Plaza De Los Salseros" Which Has A Statue And Plaque Dedicated To Ismael. read less