Ismael Rivera
Advertisement
Advertisement
Top Related Artists
Biography
Deeply rooted in the musical tradition of bomba and plena of his native Puerto Rico and son cubano, Ismael Rivera (born on October 5, 1931), also known as Maelo or El Sonero Mayor, went on to become one of the most beloved salsa singers in the history of Puerto Rican music, to the point where the islandâs government declared the anniversary of his birth âIsmael Rivera Dayâ in 2001. The first of five siblings, Rivera developed a passion for music while still a young child, singing and playing make-believe percussion with cans and sticks. During his teenage years, he worked full time as a shoe shiner and carpenter before joining El Conjunto Monterrey in 1948 as a percussionist alongside childhood friend Rafael Cortijo. After a failed stint in the U.S. Army, where he was discharged because of his poor level of English in 1952, Rivera became the lead singer for Orquesta Panamericana, scoring his first couple of hits: âEl charlatán,â âLa vieja en camisa,â and âYa yo sé.â A mishap with another band member led to his eventual exit from the group, after which he joined Cortijoâs Combo in 1954, boosting the groupâs popularity and lending his voice to the smash hit âEl Bombón de Elena.â Towards the end of the decade, the Combo cemented their reputation as A-grade hitmakers in Manhattanâs Latin music scene, where they performed at the Palladium Ballroom, and were featured on Franco Rossiâs Calipso (1959), also starring Harry Belafonte. Riveraâs arrest in 1962 on drug possession charges led to the groupâs demise, as the singer had to serve a five-year prison sentence in Kentucky. Upon his release, Rivera recorded and performed with his new orchestra, Ismael Rivera y sus Cachimbos, delivering a string of highly-successful albums such as De colores (1968), Esto fue lo que trajo el barco (1972), and Vengo por la maceta (1973). In 1974, he reunited with Cortijo for a legendary one-time show at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente and released Traigo de todo, which featured âEl Nazareno,â one of his best-known songs. Throughout the late â70s, Rivera scored his biggest with the Tite Curet Alonso-penned âLas caras lindas,â included in Esto sà es lo mio (1978), and released El Sonero Mayor (1980), his last studio album. Greatly affected by the death of longtime friend Rafael Cortijo in 1982, Rivera retired from stages altogether and eventually died of a heart attack on May 13, 1987.
Read All
Read Less
Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- El Negro Bembon
- El Chivo
- Suena El Bongo
- El Nazareno
- Te lo Voy a Contar by Ismael Rivera
- Los Apuros De Miguel
- Si Yo Pudiera
- Boriqueneando
- Parece Que Le Gusta
- Son Son Sonero
- Yo No Quiero Que Te Enamores
- Tonto Del Amor
- No Soy Para Ti
- Orgullosa
- De Todas Maneras Rosas
- Las Tumbas
- La Negra Tomasa
- Carimbo
- Y Pedros Flores by Ismael Rivera
- El Retorno de la Cucaracha featuring Ismael Rivera
- Y Pedro Flores (Jugando Gallo) by Ismael Rivera
- Mi Jaragual
- Lo Quiso Dios by Ismael Rivera
- Yo No Quiero Piedras En Mi Camino by Ismael Rivera y Sus Cachimbos
