top of page
Writer's pictureSergio Ribeiro

RIP Tito Rojas

Unfortunately another salsa legend passed away. Rip Tito.


Tito Rojas (June 14, 1955 – December 26, 2020) also known as "El Gallo Salsero" was a Puerto Rican salsa singer and songwriter.


Early years

Tito Rojas (birth name: Julio César Rojas López) was born and raised in the town of Humacao, Puerto Rico, which is located on the east coast of Puerto Rico. There, he received his primary and secondary education. He enjoyed singing to his family and he would also sing the latest salsa tunes with his friends.


Singing career

In 1975, he auditioned for Pedro Conga and his International Orchestra and was hired as a singer. After a short while, he left the band and joined the "Conjunto Borincuba", conducted by Justo Betancourt, as lead singer. With this band, he participated in the recording of Con Amor (With Love), which became a "hit" in 1978. That same year Rojas joined the Fania All-Stars and had a "hit" song with El Campesino (The Farmer).


After spending some time with the Fania All-Stars, Rojas decided to form his own band the "Conjunto Borincano", but the venture was short-lived. In 1987 and 1989, he had hits with the salsa versions of the ballads Noche de Bodas (Wedding Night), and Quiereme Tal Como Soy (Love me the way I am). These were accomplished after he joined the "Puerto Rican Power" band.


In 1990, Rojas went solo and recorded Sensual (1990), Condename (1992), and A Mi Estilo (At My Style) (1994), however, it was his 1995 recording Por Propio Derecho (On my own right), that placed Rojas on Latin Billboard's hit list. He gained the recognition he always wanted when he won a double Platinum Record Award, the Paoli Prize for "Best Salsa Artist of the Year" and an "ACE" Award.


In 1996, Rojas had hits with Humildemente (Humbly) and Pal' Pueblo (For my town), he also released 20th Aniversario, Alegrias y Penas and Navidad con Tito in 1999.


Later years

In 2002, Rojas and his band performed and recorded "live" from Las Vegas, Nevada. The album is titled Tito Rojas Live: Autenticamente En Vivo with Roberto Roena as a special guest on the bongos. His last album to be released during his lifetime was El Viajero in 2014. In 2015, Rojas appeared on Puerto Rican singer Ivy Queen's ninth studio album Vendetta. The album was split into four separate albums, one being an album composed entirely of only salsa music. On the salsa album, Rojas dueted with Queen on "Ella Me Hizo Deseo". Death Rojas died on December 26, 2020, at the age of 65, after suffering a heart attack.

source: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Tito_Rojas

114 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

コメント


bottom of page