Tito Lara
Encyclopedia
Tito Lara was considered by many to be Puerto Rico's first television singing idol
.
, Lara was raised by his maternal grandmother and received primary education
in Santurce
. During his spare time, he taught himself to play the guitar
. In 1942, when was only 10 years old, his grandmother realized that her grandson had musical talent and took him to WNEL, the local radio station
, where he made his debut. In 1946, Lara enrolled at the Free School of Music in San Juan, where he continued his guitar studies and learned to play the trumpet
.
to study Liberal Arts
and joined the university's choir
. In 1950, the owner of Mardí Records heard and was impressed by Lara's singing and asked him to form a quartet
including a female voice. Lara did so, was signed by Mardí Records and dropped out
of college in 1953 to travel with the quartet to New York City.
Lara also went solo in 1953 and scored a hit
with a recording of the bolero
Sollozo ('Crying'), which he followed up with Orquidas, a Spanish version of Orchids in the Moonlight by Vincent Youmans. That same year he met and married Nilda Maria Canino with whom he was to have three children, Agustin Jr., Maria and Jose Rafael. He returned to New York and performed at the Paramount Theater
where Myrta Silva
introduced him as "El Pollo que Canta" ('The Handsome Singer').
, the television station owned and operated by Ángel Ramos
. On January 11, 1965, the group began a seven-year participation in the televised part of the Sultana Festival, a show produced by Paquito Cordero
. Lara and Los Hispanos travelled and performed in the United States, the Dominican Republic
, Panama
, Peru
, Venezuela
and Chile
. Lara enrolled in the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico and in 1970 earned his Bachelors degree, specializing in trumpet-playing. He formed a duo with Maria Esther Ortiz called Los Dos and also founded the Allegro 72 group, which, among others, included Luis Antonio Cosme. Lara performed with Allegro 72 at Carnegie Hall
, New York and at various television stations. Some members of Allegro 72 who went on to gain fame were Lunna
, Angel "Cuco" Peña and Alyce Gracia.
which was complicated by his diabetes. In 1979, he underwent an open-heart surgery procedure from which he recuperated and shortly after returned to Puerto Rico. There he underwent conversion
to Christianity
and joined a Protestant church.
After his conversion, he continued singing sacred music almost exclusively, collaborating with singers such as the magnificent mezzo-soprano Maribel Soto, recording with her a Spanish adaptation of Sandi Patty's "More than Wonderful" ("Maravilloso es"); singing in a choir put together for "Peregrinos y Extranjeros" (Pilgrim Music) CD "Buscando aquella ciudad" ("Looking for that city") and recording two beautiful projects as a soloist. The first one was titled "El" ("He"); the second one: "Señor Amigo" ("My Lord, my friend"). Most of the lyrics of his sacred songs talked about grace, eternal live, hope, and love for his Lord, Jesus Christ. When visiting churches to sing live or presenting concerts, he always said: "I sing happily because I believe in the words I sing".
He also participated in "Noche de Gala", a musical variety show hosted by T.V. personality Eddie Miró, for the celebration of Easter, singing the famous duet with Maribel Soto. In 1985, Lara participated in the Concierto de Navidad (Christmas
Concert) held at the "Luis A. Ferré Center for the Performing Arts" in San Juan. In 1986, he held concerts in the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts and at the Hostos Center of Culture in the Bronx. That year he also recorded his last album, Los Cuatro Aces (The Four Aces).
and was hospitalized at the West Houston Medical Center in Houston, Texas
. He died on June 23, 1987, aged 54, and was laid to rest in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan.
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
.
Early years
Born as Agustín Enrique Lara Olivencia in Río Piedras, Puerto RicoRío Piedras, Puerto Rico
Río Piedras is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded in 1714, it has been the home of the University of Puerto Rico's main campus since 1903, earning the town the popular name of Ciudad Universitaria...
, Lara was raised by his maternal grandmother and received primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in Santurce
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Santurce is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Summary:Santurce is one of the top ten most populated areas of the island holding Miramar, Loíza, Isla Grande, Barrio Obrero, and Condado as main cultural hot spots for art, music, cuisine, fashion, hotels, technology, multimedia, film, textile and...
. During his spare time, he taught himself to play the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. In 1942, when was only 10 years old, his grandmother realized that her grandson had musical talent and took him to WNEL, the local radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, where he made his debut. In 1946, Lara enrolled at the Free School of Music in San Juan, where he continued his guitar studies and learned to play the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
.
Trio los Lirios
In 1948, Lara and eleven fellow students created an ensemble with Lara as lead singer. In 1949, Lara formed a trio called Trio los Lirios which became a regular guest on the WKAQ radio station. They were paid 2 American dollars per appearance.Recording debut
Lara enrolled at the University of Puerto RicoUniversity of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
to study Liberal Arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
and joined the university's choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. In 1950, the owner of Mardí Records heard and was impressed by Lara's singing and asked him to form a quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
including a female voice. Lara did so, was signed by Mardí Records and dropped out
Dropping out
Dropping out means leaving a group for either practical reasons, necessities or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves....
of college in 1953 to travel with the quartet to New York City.
Lara also went solo in 1953 and scored a hit
Hit parade
A hit parade is a ranked list of the most popular recordings at a given point in time, usually determined by sales and/or airplay. The term originated in the 1930s; Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade on January 4, 1936...
with a recording of the bolero
Music of Puerto Rico
The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe...
Sollozo ('Crying'), which he followed up with Orquidas, a Spanish version of Orchids in the Moonlight by Vincent Youmans. That same year he met and married Nilda Maria Canino with whom he was to have three children, Agustin Jr., Maria and Jose Rafael. He returned to New York and performed at the Paramount Theater
Paramount Theater
Paramount Theater or Paramount Theatre may refer to:In China*Paramount or Paramount Theatre, Shanghai, ChinaIn the United States *Paramount Theater on the U.S...
where Myrta Silva
Myrta Silva
Myrta Silva was a Puerto Rican singer, composer and television producer. She was known affectionately as "La Gorda De Oro".-Early years:...
introduced him as "El Pollo que Canta" ('The Handsome Singer').
Los Hispanos
In 1955, Lara joined one of Puerto Rico's renowned quartets Los Hispanos and made his television début with them and singers, Ida Claudio, and Sonia Noemí on "El Show Ford", broadcasted by TelemundoTelemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
, the television station owned and operated by Ángel Ramos
Angel Ramos (industrialist)
Angel Ramos was the founder of Telemundo, the second largest Spanish-language television network in the United States.-Early years:...
. On January 11, 1965, the group began a seven-year participation in the televised part of the Sultana Festival, a show produced by Paquito Cordero
Paquito Cordero
Paquito Cordero , was a comedian and television producer and also one of the pioneers of Puerto Rican television.-Early years:...
. Lara and Los Hispanos travelled and performed in the United States, 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...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. Lara enrolled in the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico and in 1970 earned his Bachelors degree, specializing in trumpet-playing. He formed a duo with Maria Esther Ortiz called Los Dos and also founded the Allegro 72 group, which, among others, included Luis Antonio Cosme. Lara performed with Allegro 72 at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, New York and at various television stations. Some members of Allegro 72 who went on to gain fame were Lunna
Lunna
Lunna , is a singer of Pop and Jazz who was the director of the television show Objetivo Fama, the Latin version of American Idol.-Early years:...
, Angel "Cuco" Peña and Alyce Gracia.
Later years
Lara began to have problems with his health in 1978, suffering a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
which was complicated by his diabetes. In 1979, he underwent an open-heart surgery procedure from which he recuperated and shortly after returned to Puerto Rico. There he underwent conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and joined a Protestant church.
After his conversion, he continued singing sacred music almost exclusively, collaborating with singers such as the magnificent mezzo-soprano Maribel Soto, recording with her a Spanish adaptation of Sandi Patty's "More than Wonderful" ("Maravilloso es"); singing in a choir put together for "Peregrinos y Extranjeros" (Pilgrim Music) CD "Buscando aquella ciudad" ("Looking for that city") and recording two beautiful projects as a soloist. The first one was titled "El" ("He"); the second one: "Señor Amigo" ("My Lord, my friend"). Most of the lyrics of his sacred songs talked about grace, eternal live, hope, and love for his Lord, Jesus Christ. When visiting churches to sing live or presenting concerts, he always said: "I sing happily because I believe in the words I sing".
He also participated in "Noche de Gala", a musical variety show hosted by T.V. personality Eddie Miró, for the celebration of Easter, singing the famous duet with Maribel Soto. In 1985, Lara participated in the Concierto de Navidad (Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Concert) held at the "Luis A. Ferré Center for the Performing Arts" in San Juan. In 1986, he held concerts in the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts and at the Hostos Center of Culture in the Bronx. That year he also recorded his last album, Los Cuatro Aces (The Four Aces).
Discography
- Sollozo ('Crying') (1953)
- Orquideas ('Orchids')
- Canciones de Los Cuatro Ases ('Song of the Four Aces')
- Lo que hay que hacer ('What You Must Do') (1958)
- No quiero ser tu amante ('I Do Not Want To Be Your Lover')
- Un nuevo ídolo para América ('A New Idol for America') (1959)
- Mi versión ('My Version')
- La vida mía ('My Life')
- Vivo sin ti ('I Live Without You')
- Imágenes
- Tito Lara canta «Dos amores» (1962)
- Miedo ('Scared')
- Un poquito de tu amor ('A Little of your Love')
- Quisiera ('I Wish') (1966)
- Egoísmo
- Ansiedad ('Anxiety')
- En ruinas ('In Ruins')
- Allegro 72 (1973)
- El (He)
- Señor Amigo (My Lord, my friend)
- Los Cuatro Aces ('The Four Aces') (1986)
Death
In March 1987, Lara suffered a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and was hospitalized at the West Houston Medical Center in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He died on June 23, 1987, aged 54, and was laid to rest in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan.