Fausto Rey
Encyclopedia
Fausto Ramón Sepúlveda, better known by his stage name Fausto Rey, was born December 1, 1950 in the Higuey
province, on the east coast of the Dominican Republic
.
Rey is best known as a crooner, with a smooth singing style that has won him numerous fans and accolades over the length of his career. He was the first contemporary Dominican singer to sell out concerts at the San Carlos Theater and Quisqueya Stadium in the Dominican Republic
.
Born to Cristrobalina Sepúlveda, Rey was adopted by her husband Secundino D'Aza, who was of India
n origin. Antolín Soler, Rey's biological father, had little or no contact with his son in his early years. Soler, who was known one of the best güira
players of Dominican Republic, has since retired and established a relationship with Rey.
As a child, Rey had to work as a shoeshine boy, selling saint's images, candy, cornbread, (cooked by his mother), and tickets from the National Lottery. Early on, he would attend the Sunday concerts in the park by his hometown's municipal band, which lit his musical spark. In his teens, he lived in La Romana
where his great love for music was growing day by day. He participated and won numerous talent shows and formed a rock group called Los Magnéticos, while already a member of another one called Brahmins in Santo Domingo.
Rey's eventual success was hard fought but after a star-making stint with Johnny Ventura
's orchestra he became one of the Dominican Republic's most beloved singer/songwriters of the 1970s, and even recorded briefly for Fania Records
. When his particular style of music fell out of favor in the 1980s, he started a very popular merengue
orchestra under his own name, which scored numerous hits, among them "El Pájaro Herido", "Mi Linda Música", and "Que Es lo que Pasa Aqui?"
Currently, Fausto Rey lives in New York City
and frequently performs concerts in the northeastern United States. Rey has made television appearances in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica and Panama recently, and has been performing with Dominican singer and composer Anthony Ríos in New York, and in Santo Domingo with Puerto Rican
singer Sophy.
Higüey
Higüey mey refer to:*Salvaleón de Higüey, a city also known as Higüey in the Dominican Republic*Higüey Province, see La Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic*Higuey Taíno...
province, on the east coast of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Rey is best known as a crooner, with a smooth singing style that has won him numerous fans and accolades over the length of his career. He was the first contemporary Dominican singer to sell out concerts at the San Carlos Theater and Quisqueya Stadium in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Born to Cristrobalina Sepúlveda, Rey was adopted by her husband Secundino D'Aza, who was of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n origin. Antolín Soler, Rey's biological father, had little or no contact with his son in his early years. Soler, who was known one of the best güira
Güira
A güira is a percussion instrument from the Dominican Republic, generally used in merengue, bachata, and its subgenres, that sounds like a maraca or hi-hat but in fact is a sheet of metal—in practice, often from a five gallon oil can—evenly perforated with a nail, shaped into a cylinder or...
players of Dominican Republic, has since retired and established a relationship with Rey.
As a child, Rey had to work as a shoeshine boy, selling saint's images, candy, cornbread, (cooked by his mother), and tickets from the National Lottery. Early on, he would attend the Sunday concerts in the park by his hometown's municipal band, which lit his musical spark. In his teens, he lived in La Romana
La Romana
La Romana is a province of the Dominican Republic. The capital is also named La Romana, and is the third-largest city in the country. La Romana was elevated to the category of province in 1944....
where his great love for music was growing day by day. He participated and won numerous talent shows and formed a rock group called Los Magnéticos, while already a member of another one called Brahmins in Santo Domingo.
Rey's eventual success was hard fought but after a star-making stint with Johnny Ventura
Johnny Ventura
Juan e Dios Ventura Soriano, better known as Johnny Ventura is a singer and band leader of merengue.- Early History :...
's orchestra he became one of the Dominican Republic's most beloved singer/songwriters of the 1970s, and even recorded briefly for Fania Records
Fania Records
Fania Records was a New York based record label founded by Dominican-born composer and bandleader Johnny Pacheco and Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. The label took its name from an old Cuban song by the singer Reinaldo Bolaño. Fania is known for its promotion of what has become...
. When his particular style of music fell out of favor in the 1980s, he started a very popular merengue
Merengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
orchestra under his own name, which scored numerous hits, among them "El Pájaro Herido", "Mi Linda Música", and "Que Es lo que Pasa Aqui?"
Currently, Fausto Rey lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and frequently performs concerts in the northeastern United States. Rey has made television appearances in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica and Panama recently, and has been performing with Dominican singer and composer Anthony Ríos in New York, and in Santo Domingo with Puerto Rican
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...
singer Sophy.