Andy Montañez, one of the proponents of traditional salsa, does not forget one of his inspirational spark plugs: Ismael Rivera, the “Salsero Mayor”, who worked as a bricklayer in his youth and over time became a salsa reference with a catchy style of songs like “El Nazanero” and “Caras lindas”.
“People don’t forget Ishmael, but the date of his birth, and I think we should set an additional date for his life, just like Carlos Gardel and Elvis Presley are remembered, because Ishmael represented us great around the world.” said his sister Ivelisse Rivera.
Ismael “is our main singer in the salsa genre. There is no Sonero in the world who is called Sonero if he has not followed Ismael Rivera,” he added.
Likewise, professor, Puerto Rican musicologist and close friend of Rivera, Lester Iván Nurse Allende, singled out the late musician for being the musical flag of Puerto Rican around the world, just like Rafael Cortijo and troubadour Florencio Morales Ramos, better known as “ostrich”.
Rivera (1931-1987), considered the greatest representative of the salsa genre, left in his legacy some of his most famous songs such as “El Nazareno”, “Las caras lindas”, “La Perla” and “Dime por qué”.
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Ismael Rivera (Las Caras Lundas) – (Boricua Salsa) (Classic Salsa) (Salsa ’70, ’80, ’90) (Video)
Christened “Sonero Mayor” by Cuban artist Benny Moré (1919-1963), Rivera dreamed of the idea of becoming a singer since childhood, although he worked first as a shoeshine boy and then as a bricklayer.
Since childhood, she dreamed of becoming a singer and told her mother Margarita that she would be great in this art.
To achieve this, however, he first had to overcome a difficult life. At one point, he filled cement bags with wood and sold them to help his mother.
He worked as a bricklayer and also thought about taking up boxing as he was tough in his youth but his mother prevented him from starting this sport.
Ismael had a special flair for playing with paint cans, making his own maracas out of milk cans and playing the güícharo with a fork.
At the age of 17, Rivera joined the Conjunto Monterrey as a bongo player and in 1954 he made his debut as a singer in the Pan American Orchestra of the late Puerto Rican director Lito Peña (1921–2002).
After his military service, from which he was discharged because he did not speak English, he joined Rafael Cortijos Combo (1928-1982), where he sang songs such as “El bombón de Elena”, “El negro bembón” and “Con la punta “del” took root”, “Saoco” and “African Drums”.
When he returned to Puerto Rico in 1962 after a trip through Panama, he was sent to a prison in Kentucky (USA) for drug possession, where he served four years.
After his release from prison in 1966, he rejoined the Cortijo group and recorded the albums “Bienvenido” and “Con todos los irons”.
He then founded the group Los Cachimbos, with whom he recorded twelve albums and continued to enjoy international success.
The interpreter of other hits such as “Perico”, “Besitos de coco” and “Mi negrita me waiting” died of a heart attack in his home on May 13, 1987.