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Bobby Cruz

Biography

Closely connected with pianist Ricardo Ray for a lot of his career, vocalist Bobby Cruz enjoyed more than ten years of fame being a trailblazer of boogaloo, and eventually salsa, just before receding in the spotlight through the ’80s and refocusing his efforts in Christianity. Cruz started his recording profession being a vocalist within the Ricardo Ray Orchestra in 1964 on Fonseca Information, and by the finish of the 10 years, after singing business lead vocals on such strikes as “Mr. Trumpet Guy,” he’d gained himself co-billing over the duo’s albums for Alegre Information. In 1970 Ray and Cruz transferred from NEW YORK to Puerto Rico, where they opened up a membership and, you start with their traditional Un Bestial Sonido de Richie Ray y Bobby Cruz (1971), documented albums for Vaya Information, a subsidiary of Fania. In 1974 these were announced Los Reyes de la Salsa (the Kings of Salsa) and, within the aftermath of the honor, changed into Christianity and started making changes in lifestyle. Although duo continued documenting for Vaya well in to the ’80s, they redirected their energy toward chapel activities because the 10 years continued. From 1983 until 1998, apart from one farewell recording in 1987, they efficiently disappeared through the music scene. After that, you start with a 1999 reunion, they resumed activity like a live show and documenting duo, casting a lot of their music inside a Christian light. These were given an eternity Achievement Award in the 2006 Latin Grammys and had been nominated for Greatest Contemporary Tropical Recording the following yr. Born on Feb 2, 1938, in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, Roberto Cruz Feliciano was raised on a plantation within the countryside. His excellent musical impact was Un Gran Combo. After shifting with his family members to NEW YORK, he fulfilled and befriended pianist Ricardo “Richie” Ray, whose orchestra he became a member of like a vocalist. Both Cruz and Ray produced their documenting debuts on Ricardo Ray Arrives/Comején (1964), billed towards the Ricardo Ray Orchestra and released by Fonseca Information. Boasting a unforgettable strike with “Comején” along with a song that might be reworked in old age, “Mambo Jazz,” the recording featured a number of musical designs (mambo, descarga, bolero, pachanga, cha cha) and was organized completely by Ray and Cruz. Around the Picture with Ricardo Ray (1965) adopted on Fonseca, plus a few additional albums whose precise release times are doubtful: 3 Sizes (1966), Richie Ray Introducing Bobby Cruz a Go-Go-Go (1966), and Fiesta Navideña (1966). Ray and Cruz after that turned to Alegre Information for another operate of albums, primarily billed to basically Ricardo Ray and you start with Se Soltó/On the Loose (1966), which notably includes a pioneering boogaloo work, “Danzón Boogaloo.” Jala Jala con Boogaloo (1967) held the boogaloo vibe heading, as do its sequel, Jala Jala con Boogaloo, Vol. 2 (1968), the last mentioned offering the English-language strike “Mr. Trumpet Guy” with Cruz on business lead vocals. The duo released many additional albums on Alegre, including Let’s Obtain Down to the true Nitty Gritty (1968), Los Durísimos/The Solid Types (1969), and Agúzate (1970), the previous few co-billed to Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz, and in addition documented sparingly for Tico and United Performers. In 1970, Ray and Cruz shifted to Puerto Rico, where they opened up a membership, Richie Ray’s Membership in Rio Piedras, and started documenting for Vaya Information, a subsidiary of Fania Information. Their Vaya debut, Un Bestial Sonido de Richie Ray con Bobby Cruz (1971), marks the start of their salsa stage and is among their finest albums overall. During this time period, Cruz produced his single debut with Bobby Cruz Canta em fun??o de Ti (1972), made by Ray. The duo was at the elevation of its reputation through the early to middle-’70s and performed often. Their 1972 in-concert record Jammin’ Live possibly the pinnacle of the popularity, and they are also heard for the traditional Fania All-Stars albums Live in the Cheetah, Vol. 1 (1971), Our Latin Point (Nuestra Costa) (1972), Live in the Cheetah, Vol. 2 (1973), Latin-Soul-Rock (1974), Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 1 (1976), and Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 2 (1976). In 1974, throughout a concert at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ray and Cruz had been announced Los Reyes de la Salsa (the Kings of Salsa), and in the aftermath of the honor, Ray and, soon thereafter, Cruz produced a very general public transformation to to Christianity, shutting their golf club, changing their life styles, and going to become pastors. Their transformation to Christianity didn’t impact their music immediately, for they continuing documenting albums on Vaya Information through the entire ’70s and in to the ’80s, specifically Amor en la Escuela (a Cruz single recording; 1974), 1975 (1975), 10 Aniversario (1975), Reconstrucción (1976), THE VERY BEST of Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz (1977), Viven (1977), Un Sonido de la Bestia (1980), De Nuevo los Durísimos (1980), Pinturas (1981), Todas las Aguilas (1982), and Back again to Back (1982). After that, following a five-year hiatus, they released their last Vaya recording, Los Inconfundibles (1987), which notably contains their swan track, “Adiós a la Salsa.” They efficiently disappeared through the music picture for over ten years, focusing their initiatives rather on church-related actions. In 1997, Cruz released the reserve Cuando Period Niño, a memoir of his years as a child; an accompanying record premiered by RMM Information aswell that season. In 1999, Ray and Cruz reunited to get a concert at Ruben Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Third , one-off concert, the duo performed some displays in Venezuela, Columbia, Mexico, NY, and Miami. A warmly received double-disc in-concert record documenting the duo’s reunion, Un Sonido Bestial un Concierto (1999), premiered by General Music Latino subsequently. Within the wake of the restored succes, Ray and Cruz started recording songs again, a lot of it from an evangelistic Christian perspective and released by WEA International, like the collaborative record Lo Nuevo con Lo Mejor (2001), the Cruz single recording Voz, Palabra con Júbilo (2000), the Ray single recording Al Ritmo del Piano (2002), as well as the Cruz single recording Caminando (2002). Within the middle-2000s, after Ray and Cruz’s WEA romantic relationship had arrive at a finish, they turned to Tropisounds and produced their label debut with Que Vuelva La Música (2005). A few years later on, in 2007, arrived the live Compact disc/DVD AN ETERNITY of Strikes: Live at Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico, along with the Cruz single recording Romanticos de Ayer, Hoy con Siempre. In 2006, Ray and Cruz had been honored at that year’s Latin Grammy Honor ceremony with an eternity Achievement Award, along with a 12 months later, Cruz received a Latin Grammy within the category of Greatest Traditional Tropical record for Romanticos de Ayer, Hoy con Siempre while their collaborative work, AN ETERNITY of Strikes: Live at Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico, was nominated for Greatest Contemporary Tropical Recording.

Quick Facts


Full Name Bobby Cruz
Profession Singer, Composer, Minister
Nationality Puerto Rican
Awards Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album
Music Groups Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz
Music Songs Sonido Bestial, Los Fariseos, Aguzate, Juan En La Ciudad, Jala-Jala, A Mi Manera, La zafra, Soy Tan Feliz, El Diferente, Yo Soy Babalu, Pancho Cristal, Bomba en Navidad, Guaguanco Triste, Seis Chorreao, Guaguanco Raro, Traigo De Todo, Mi bandera, A Su Nombre Gloria, Amparo Arrebato, Ahora vengo yo, Gan Gan Y Gon Gon, Adiós A La Salsa, Yo Se Que Te Amo, Mi Mayoral, Agallu, Yo soy la "Zarza", Vive Feliz, El sonido de la bestia, La Vimari, Baba Coroco, Amor En La Escuela, Yenyere
Albums Salsa Sin Limites, Reconstruccion, Felices Pascuas, Jammin' Live, Un Sonido Bestial, Canta Para Ti, Que Vuelva la Música, Románticos De Ayer, Hoy y Siempre, Mano a Mano Melodico, Los Inconfundibles, 10 Aniversario, De nuevo los durismos, Los Durisimos - The Strong Ones (Salsa y Control), Back to Back, Los Aguilas, Viva Ricardo, El Bestial Sonido De Ricardo Ray Y Bobby Cruz, Aguzate, Jala Jala y Boogaloo, Alma, Tierra Y Raices, In Orbit, Mambo Tata, Introducs Bobby Cruz - A-Go-Go-Go, Se me Olvido, Amor En La Escuela, Pintura, Reencuentro, 1975, Pinturas, Angeles, Eres Alguien como yo, Para Siempre: Homenaje a Una Leyenda, Pura Salsa Live, The Best Of: Lo Mejor De Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz, The Best Of
Movies Our Latin Thing, Fania All Stars: Salsa!


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TitleYearStatusCharacter
Rough Trades 1977

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