You have a professional career of about 50 years and more. However, his art, music and voice are felt over time and remain valid even after two decades of the 21st century. They only let them on stage and the audience enjoys them at every performance.
More than twenty Dominican artists whose artistic life began between the 50’s and 70’s are still active, recording or participating in presentations.
The list is created Cuco Valoy, Aníbal de Peña, Camboy Estévez, Niní Cáffaro, Adalgisa Pantaleon, Fausto Rey and José Alberto, “El Canario”.
Also the bachateros Luis Segura, Ramón Cordero, Leonardo Paniagua and José Manuel Calderón.
In merengue, Wilfrido Vargas, El Conjunto Quisqueya, Jossie Esteban, Fernando Villalona, in art are already 50 years old. At more than 40, they were joined by Toño Rosario, Milly Quezada, Dioni Fernández, Ramón Orlando, Rafa Rosario and Aníbal Bravo.
durable
One of the longest-lived activists is Cuco Valoy (January 6, 1937), who can look back on a 73-year career. He started singing with Los Ahijados in the 1950s. In the ’70s he took a step towards merengue and founded the group Los Virtuosos de Cuco Valoy, later called “La Tribu de Cuco Valoy”. With an extensive discography, he has interpreted rhythms such as merengue, bachata, salsa, cumbia, son montuno, bolero, guaracha and cha-cha-chá. In recent years he has lectured, particularly in Colombia.
Cuco Valoy, 86 years old, sings in the Jaragua.
Another example: Aníbal de Peña. In 1945 he was 12 years old and at this age he composed his first song: “Muchachita de mi pueblo”.
In the 1960s his career took off. His first hit was “My Weakness”. He currently resides in the United States, where he continues to give his concerts. Hannibal was born on May 11, 1933.
Aníbal de Peña has a large repertoire of romantic songs. ADRIANO ROSARIO/LISTIN DIARIO
In the late 1950s, Octavio Camboy Estévez (8 December 1944) joined the Primitivo Santos Orchestra and began his public career in the 1960s. At the beginning of the 70s he started as a soloist. “Los caminos de la vida”, “Unión eterna”, “Today I am for nobody” and “My sad street” are among his most famous songs. Camboy, who turns 90 on December 8, resides in the United States and continues to sing on stage.
Camboy Estevez
From the first festival of the voice
One of the great legacies of Niní Cáffaro (November 25, 1939) is the interpreter of the most beautiful and well-known song of the Dominican Republic, “Por amor”, written by Rafael Solano.
In 1961 he recorded his first song “Violeta”. “Ayúdame a Olvidarte” by author Juan Lockward and “El Corazón no miente” by Juan Bruno Terraza were her first hits that year.
Four years later he continues with “En Ruinas” and “Cader y más”. He was the first to win the First Dominican Song Festival with the iconic song “Por amor” (1968). In 2010 he celebrated his 50th artistic anniversary and in 2018 the 50th anniversary of “Por amor”. He often engages in artistic activities.
Nini Cafarro
In 1971 Adalgisa Pantaleón (November 10, 1954) took part in the first National Festival of the Voice organized by the Dominican composer Rafael Solano.
In 2021 he celebrated his 50th anniversary in the arts. His time on stage was met with applause from the audience. Establishing herself as one of the country’s most important soloists, she joined the Juan Luis Guerra group in 1989.
Adalgisa Pantaleon
Bachateros
In 2020, Luis Segura was officially named Father of Bachata by the Dominican Republic Senate. He was born on June 21, 1939 in Mao, Valverde and started his career in 1960. His biggest hit is “Pena de ti”, a symbol of the bachata genre. This year, “El papa de la bachata” is preparing for a grand farewell with the concert “End of History” on July 29th at the Gran Arena del Cibao.
Luis Segura will give his first and last concert in Santiago de los Caballeros
Ramón Cordero, on the other hand, was born in April 1939. He too began his artistic life in the 1960s and was one of the pioneers of rhythm. This 2023 Leonardo Paniagua celebrates the 50th anniversary of the release of his first record production “Con el conjunto Paredes Vol. 2” (1973).
Among the first bachateros, José Manuel Calderón is considered the creator of the bitter genre. He was born in 1941 and his first songs appeared in 1960.
Validity equals success
For artists, success is measured by their validity in the marketplace, primarily by their persistence in the tastes of their consumers.
The Dominican songbook still billboards, sings and dances, many of whom have been on stage for several decades.
In the 1970s, Fausto Rey became one of the internationally recognized leading interpreters of the ballad. “Get Out of Here”, “I Want to Be With You”, “Yolanda” and “Crazy They Say I Am” were some of his hits. “El Niche”, as he was known, was born on December 1, 1951. His time in Johnny Ventura’s group was the ideal setting to showcase his talent. His popularity reached Quisqueya Stadium along with Puerto Rico’s Sophy.
This Monday, Fausto Rey, who founded his merengue group in his late 80’s, is performing at Santo Domingo’s Jet Set nightclub.
With Wilfrido Vargas (April 24, 1949), the merengue experienced a dizzying change that began in the 1970s. This year his first merengue “Dolorita” turns 50 years old. He was the founder of groups such as Los Hijos del Rey, Las Chicas del Can, The New York Band and the Altamira Banda Show.
Wilfrido Vargas
Dominican salsa singer José Alberto “El Canario” became the leader of Típica 73 in early 1970 and seven years later, where he rose to prominence. In 1983 he put his group together, with which he achieved international success.
Celebrate in Chavón
In 1971, Fernando Villalona made his first national television appearance at the Festival de la Voz. His charisma drove the Dominicans crazy, he started his career in Los Hijos del Rey and then formed his own group. On August 12, “El Mayimbe” takes up the challenge of singing again at the Amphitheater Altos de Chavón with the show “Fernando Villalona, El Mayimbe Vuelve a Chavón”.
Last year El Conjunto Quisqueya members Chucky Acosta, Javish Victoria, Adib Melgen and Elías Santana celebrated five decades in music. Formed in Puerto Rico in 1972, the group became one of the great promoters of merengue performance in the diaspora, gaining tremendous popularity and consistency due to their successes, leading to this orchestra becoming one of the most popular merenguera orchestras internationally, not only at Christmas time, but all year round.
Aníbal Bravo celebrated 50 years of artistic career last year with a concert at the Hard Rock Café. “El Comandante”, as he is known, was born on April 24, 1954 and began his artistic career in 1972. A career that was marked by dozens of hits and a multitude of good singers, whom he shaped into merengue stars.
45th anniversary
The first album “Tú sabes” by “Milly y los vecinos” was released in 1976. Basically the group consisted of Milly Quezada and her husband Rafael Vázquez, her brothers Jocelyn, Rafael and Martín Quezada. Her performance attracted public attention as she was among the few women who dared to interpret merengue.
Milly Quezada.
Milly, who became the ‘Queen of Merengue’, has been performing for more than four decades. On June 17th she celebrates the 45th anniversary of her artistic career with the show “Viva La Reina Tour” in the Carlos Piantini Hall of the Teatro Nationaler Eduardo Brito.
Los Hermanos Rosario’s debut on national television was broadcast in 1978, the group was formed in May 1976 in the province of Higüey in the east of the country. The group, led by Rafa and Toño Rosario, grew into one of the most important merengue orchestras.
In April 1990, Toño decided to start a new group and found immediate success. Toño has sold with a very creative artistic image and a rocker style that looks spectacular at 67.
Tono Rosario
Jossie Esteban and Patrol 15, founded by Jossie Esteban (Esteban Grullón) and Alberto Martínez (known as Ringo), formed in Puerto Rico in 1979. As a group, they supported other musical groups such as Zona Roja and Las nenas de Jossie y Ringo, a group where Olga Tañón was formed.
In 1975, aged just under 15, Ramón Orlado Valoy recorded his first musical arrangement for La Tribu, a group led by his father, Cuco Valoy.
Since then he has worked as a pianist, arranger, singer and composer until he founded his own group in 1984.
Rock ‘n’ roll conquered Dioni Fernández, who founded a group in 1969 with the musician El Gran Comprés. The band existed until 1973, the same year he began as a pianist in a band until he got the opportunity in 1975 with Félix del Rosario. Dioni celebrated success in the eighties with “El Equipo de Dioni Fernández”.