One of the cult figures of salsa celebrates today, Saturday.
Fernando Luis “Willie” Rosario Marín, known as Mr. Afinque, is celebrating his tender 99th birthday today without giving any indication that he wants to leave the stage.
It was his fellow musician, also teacher and friend Bobby Valentín who remembered the important date via social networks.
Today is a very important day for us salsa singers and colleagues because today we celebrate the 99th anniversary of Fernando Luis Rosario, better known in the artistic field as Willie Rosario “Mr. Turn it on.” We thank God for so many years of life. Willie is a great person and a role model for all musicians and orchestra leaders around the world,” Valentín wrote on his Facebook account.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity he gave me when I was starting out in New York City. Willie is part of my family. I thank God for having Willie with us in this daily life and for delighting us with his excellent music. Congratulations, health and blessings. May God bless you abundantly and give you long life,” added the renowned bassist.
Rosario was born on May 6, 1924 in Coamo. He began his musical inspiration at an early age in 1937 through the orchestras conducted by Rafael Muñoz and the Puerto Rico Sextet, from whom he was imitating drums by the age of seven.
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After completing his military service, he returned to Puerto Rico in 1952, where he joined the Fiesta Orchestra as drummer, replacing Mon Rivera. In 1956 he worked for the first time with the Johnny Seguí Orchestra on a music recording, the album was entitled “Chachachá”. With the dissolution of Johnny Seguí’s orchestra in 1958, Rosario formed his first orchestra, composed mainly of musicians who had belonged to Maestro Seguí’s orchestra, and for this he had the collaboration of maestros Tito Rodríguez and Tito Puente.
After forming a second group, Willie Rosario and his orchestra recorded their first album entitled El Bravo Soy Yo in 1963. This was the start of a prolific career in which he left over 40 record productions heard around the world.
High quality singers such as Gilberto Santarosa, Tony Vega and Chamaco Rivera have passed through his orchestra, as well as musicians of the caliber of Bobby Valentín, Humberto Ramírez and Jimmie Morales, among others.
Among the most recognized successes of the outstanding group are “La Mitad”, “Mi Amigo el Payaso”, “El Callejero”, “Anuncio Clasificado” and “Lluvia”, the latter in the voice of two greats of the genre, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Tony Vega , among many other numbers.
His career has earned him various recognitions, such as the nomination of the first Puerto Rican salsa orchestra for a Grammy Awards in the category “Best Tropical Performance” in 1987 for the production of “Nueva Cosecha”, a Hall of Fame inductee from Puerto Rico. Rico, four gold discs and two platinum.
In the same way, he received the Agüeybaná de Oro award, the ACE award, the Paoli award and the Estrella award for his musical excellence, delivered by SBS Broadcasting.
And after more than six decades of making his own happy, there’s still “finishing” at Maestro Rosario. In an interview with Primera Hora, the legendary percussionist made it clear that he has no intention of leaving the stage just yet.
“You have to pass the baton. Life is like that and I’m very happy that there is a lot of talent and a lot of young talent because that’s how our music will continue to be very heavy. But we’re still here and I can’t find the baton to pass it on,” he said.