Carlos Meléndez (singer)
Encyclopedia
Carlos Meléndez is a Puerto Rican
who is a former member of Menudo
.
Meléndez is a cousin of band creator Edgardo Diaz
, who had success as director of La Pandilla
in Spain
and who admired the success obtained by The Jackson 5
in the United States
. Carlos Meléndez and his brothers, Oscar and Ricky
, wore curly hair
, a style which was popular during the 1970s.
In 1977, Diaz created Menudo, asking Carlos and his brothers to become band members, along with Fernando and Nefty Sallaberry
, who are also brothers. Carlos Meléndez lasted in Menudo until mid 1980, barely missing out on the group's golden era. The only Meléndez brother to participate during Menudo's era of worldwide fame was Ricky. Like Oscar, Carlos Meléndez did, however, become famous through Puerto Rico
when the group began to have a televised
show, and with two of Menudo's first hits: a Spanish
version of ABBA
's "Voulez Vous" and "Los Fantasmas". Carlos Meléndez tried a duo singing career with Fernando Sallaberry for a brief time after leaving Menudo. He did not record any major hits by himself, however, and soon, retired from music.
In 1987, 4 of the original 5 Menudo members, Carlos & Ricky Meléndez, and Nefty and Fernando Sallaberry reunited on a project - a group- they were going to call XCHANGE. There was some publicity, and they recorded a few demos, but were not offered a recording contract and disbanded.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
who is a former member of Menudo
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....
.
Meléndez is a cousin of band creator Edgardo Diaz
Edgardo Díaz
Edgardo Díaz born in Panama City, Panama, is the creator of the "boy band" Menudo. The son of Puerto Ricans, Díaz grew up in Caguas, Puerto Rico....
, who had success as director of La Pandilla
La Pandilla
La Pandilla was a teen music group of the 1970s. La Pandilla, founded in 1970 by Pepa Aguirre. The group had members of both sexes, unlike most pop music bands....
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and who admired the success obtained by The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Carlos Meléndez and his brothers, Oscar and Ricky
Ricky Meléndez
Ricky Meléndez is a Puerto Rican singer. He was raised in Guaynabo. He became a member of Menudo at the age of eight. He was one of the original five in the group...
, wore curly hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
, a style which was popular during the 1970s.
In 1977, Diaz created Menudo, asking Carlos and his brothers to become band members, along with Fernando and Nefty Sallaberry
Fernando and Nefty Sallaberry
Oscar Neftalí Sallaberry Vals and Fernando Ramón Sallaberry Vals , were part of the original Puerto Rican band Menudo.-Nefty:...
, who are also brothers. Carlos Meléndez lasted in Menudo until mid 1980, barely missing out on the group's golden era. The only Meléndez brother to participate during Menudo's era of worldwide fame was Ricky. Like Oscar, Carlos Meléndez did, however, become famous through Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
when the group began to have a televised
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show, and with two of Menudo's first hits: a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version of ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
's "Voulez Vous" and "Los Fantasmas". Carlos Meléndez tried a duo singing career with Fernando Sallaberry for a brief time after leaving Menudo. He did not record any major hits by himself, however, and soon, retired from music.
In 1987, 4 of the original 5 Menudo members, Carlos & Ricky Meléndez, and Nefty and Fernando Sallaberry reunited on a project - a group- they were going to call XCHANGE. There was some publicity, and they recorded a few demos, but were not offered a recording contract and disbanded.