Odilio González
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One of Puerto Rico's most reknown and beloved popular singers, Odilio González has enjoyed an avid following for his expert singing of the island's ancient traditional poetic song form, the décima (also known as "jíbaro" music), as well as a crooner of mainstream pop music. His stage name was "Jibarito de Lares".
Odilio González was born in 1939 in the center of the island of Puerto Rico, in the small town of Lares. His charm, sweet voice and youthful good looks turned him into a popular child star after a series of early radio performances in the capital city of San Juan.
Odilio debuted in 1955 at the age of 16 on the New York City stage, singing before throngs of enthusiastic and nostalgic Puerto Ricans in the famed Teatro Puerto Rico. His first recordings of traditional jíbaro singing for the Ansonia label were also made in New York City during that period. He was considered a child prodigy in the music business during the Golden Age of New York jíbaro music recordings of the 1950s. Odilio González crossed over into pop music in 1962 when he records Celos Sin Motivos, composed by Ismael Santiago, which broadens his appeal to a far greater audience. His greatest hit, perhaps was "Yo Tenía Una Luz" (I had a light), recorded during the early 1970s, became a widely popular Christmas song and today is considered among the ranks of traditional songs, in the way "White Christmas" is considered "traditional" in the United States. Odilio Gonzalez continues to perform around the Island and during numerous trips to the United States to sing before enthusiastic audiences of older Puerto Ricans expatriates.
[edit] See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Antonio Garcia Lopez "Toño Bicicleta", infamous outlaw
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