Jerry Rivera

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Jerry Rivera (born July 31, 1973, in Humacao, Puerto Rico) is a well known Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award-nominated Puerto Rican salsa singer.

Jerry Rivera

1 Early years
2 Singing career
3 Currently
4 Discography
5 See also
6 External links
7 Notes

[edit] Early years

Rivera, born Geraldo Rivera Rodriguez in Humacao on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, moved with his family as a baby to the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, where he received his primary and secondary education. His entire family consists of talented musicians, including tropical recording artists Edwin Rivera and younger sister Saned. Two other brothers, Ito and Jose, are professional instrumental musicians.

His parents, also musicians, inspired him to become a musician and as a child he would often accompany his mother Dominga, a singer, and father Edwin, a guitarist and director of Los Barones Trio, during their shows.

His favorite singers are Eddie Santiago, Lalo Rodriguez and, in particular, Frankie Ruiz. In 1986, when he was 13 years old, he accompanied his father who was performing at a hotel in Isla Verde, San Juan. Ruiz, who was a guest at the hotel, appeared and sang a couple of songs with them and had his picture taken alongside Rivera. In 2003 this picture was used by Rivera to make the album cover for his tribute Canto a mi Idolo... Frankie Ruiz ('I sing to my Idol... Frankie Ruiz'), who had died in 1998.

[edit] Singing career

In 1988, Tommy Olivencia heard Rivera sing alongside his father and recommended that he sing solo. When Jerry was 14, his father made a demo and presented it to the CBS music department. They signed Rivera.

With his first album, Empezando A Vivir, Jerry Rivera earned the title "El Bebé de la Salsa" (the salsa baby). This project generated the hit, De La Cabeza A Los Pies (loosely translates to "From Head To Toes").

His second album, Abriendo Puertas ('Opening Doors'), produced the hit songs Esa Niña ('That Girl'), Dime ('Tell Me') and Como un Milagro ('Like a Miracle') became number one hits first in Puerto Rico, then among the Hispanic populations in the United States and finally across Latin America.

His third album, Cuenta Conmigo ('Count on Me'), won three Platinum Record awards in the United States, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Colombia. It became the most-sold salsa album in history, a record previously held by Willie Colon,^[1] and held the number-one spot in the Latin American Billboards for three consecutive months. Rivera was awarded two Premio Lo Nuestro Awards for "Singer of the Year" and "Album of the Year" and Sony Records presented him with three Crystal Awards.

In 1999, Rivera recorded De Otra Manera ('Another Way'), which featured the bolero Ese. Jerry sang the song with his father at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan.

He has performed in Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Panama, the United States, Spain and Japan.

In 2002 he released Vuela Muy Alto which brought him a new fanbase all over Latin-America and the U.S., with the title track hit the top spot and the top 10 in many charts. The following year he released Cantando A Mi Idolo... Frankie Ruiz ('Singing To My Idol... Frankie Ruiz'), a tribute album to one of his idol Frankie Ruiz. The album ganer him a Latin Grammy nominatation.

Rivera played a small role in the movie I Like It Like That and will appear as himself in a Latin American soap opera titled Mi destino eres tu ('You are destiny') slated to air on Univision in the US during on November 2005. Rivera has also appeared in various Banco Popular de Puerto Rico productions, including Al Compas de un Sentimiento (dedicated to the late Puerto Rican composer Pedro Flores) and Con la musica por Dentro. Amores Como El Nuestro and Magia is another of his hit songs.

[edit] Currently

Jerry Rivera continues to perform with his band, both at home and across the Americas.

[edit] Discography

Empezando a Vivir (Beginning to Live')
Abriendo Puertas ('Opening Doors') (Released: 1991)
Cuenta Conmigo ('Count On Me') (Released: 1992)
Cara de Niño ('Baby Face') (Released: 1993)
Jerry Rivera: Lo Nuevo Y Lo Mejor ('Jerry Rivera: The New and the Best')
Magia ('Magic') (Released: 1995)
Fresco (album) ('Fresh') (Released: 1996)
Ya No Soy El Niño Aquel ('I'm Not That Child Anymore') (Released: 1997)
De Otra Manera ('In Other Words') (Released: 1998)
Oro Salsero ('Salsa Gold') (Released: 2000)
Historia 1 ('History 1') (Released: 2000)
Para Siempre ('Forever') (Released: 2000)
Jerry Rivera ('Rivera') (Released: 2001) 'also available in box set'
No Me Olvidaras ('You Won't Forget Me') (Released: 2001)
Cantando A Mi Idolo... Frankie Ruiz ('Singing To My Idol... Frankie Ruiz') (Released: 2003)
Ay Mi Vida ('Oh My Life') (Released: 2005)