Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

RODRIGUEZ, Lalo

(b Ubaldo Rodríguez, 16 May 1958, Puerto Rico) Salsa singer, composer. Sang with Tempo Moderno '70-4; at age 16 made album debut on Eddie Palmieri's Sun Of Latin Music '74 on Coco, first winner in the new Grammy category for Best Latin Recording '75, including self-penned 'Deseo Salvaje' ('Savage Desire'): 'To think that a kid that age could understand savage desire is mind-boggling,' said producer/Coco label boss Harvey Averne in '95. Lalo also sang on Palmieri's Grammy-winning follow-up Unfinished Masterpiece '76 on Coco. Shared lead vocals on Tommy Olivencia's Introducing Lalo Rodríguez And Simon Pérez '76 on Inca; guested as singer and wrote three tracks on Machito's Grammy-nom. Fireworks '77 on Coco; recorded with Puerto Rico All Stars: performing his compositions 'Alianza de Generales' on Los Profesionales '77 and 'Oyelo Que Te Conviene' ('Listen, It's Convenient', which he first sang on Unfinished Masterpiece) on Tribute To The Messiah '79 (homage to Eddie Palmieri), both albums reissued on Combo '92-3. Made solo debut with Simplemente Lalo '80 produced by the acclaimed Frank Ferrer (b 10 February 1946, Ponce, PR) on his Tierrazo label; Lalo wrote and co-produced El Niño, El Hombre, El Soñador, El Loco '85 (reissued as Plena-mente, Lalo! '91 on Capitol/EMI Latin) followed by Punto y Coma '87 (reissued as Como Siempre Lalo '92 on Capitol/EMI). He embraced the salsa romántica sound with chart-topping Un Nuevo Despertar '88 on TH-Rodven, which yielded the monster international hit 'Ven Devórame Otra Vez' ('Come And Devour Me Again'); after Sexsacional! '89 on TH-Rodven he became one of several successful romántica acts lured to the multinational Capitol/EMI, where he began with a reissue: Nuevamente Lalo Rodriguez '85 became Una Voz Para Escuchar '90 (reissued under its original title on Capri '96), then an album of fresh material: De Vuelta En La Trampa '92, followed by two above-mentioned reissues '91-2. He was detained for 16 days in 1993 for threatening his mother with a knife: he retorted with the song 'Acusado Falsamente' on Nací Para Cantar '94 on Capitol/EMI, a reunion with producer Averne, making his comeback after ten years out of the business. Lalo received a Farándula Diplo award for 'Comeback of the Year' '95. He produced his own Estoy Aquí '96 on EMI Latin.