Lucecita Benítez
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lucecita | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Luz Esther Benítez July 22, 1942 Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| Other name(s) | La Voz Nacional |
| Occupation | singer |
Luz Esther Benítez (born July 22, 1942), better known in the music world as Lucecita, is a native of Bayamon and is also a well known international singer.
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[edit] Biography
Lucecita was a member of what is historically known in Puerto Rico as the New Wave, or Nueva Ola of popular music, created by Alfred D. Herger, alongside Lissette and Chucho Avellanet, among others. She was a participant of Telemundo channel 2's El Club del Clan (The Clan's Club) television show, and she occasionally would show up at the Show de Las 12 (12 O' Clock Show) to sing too. In 1964, she had her first major hit, with the song Un Lugar Para los Dos (A Place For Both of Us) This was a cover song of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want To Be With You", but sung in Spanish by Lucecita.
That began a series of hits for Lucecita, and at the same time, it began a rivalry between her and fellow New Waver, Peruvian born Puerto Rican resident Lissette, also a musical legend.
Benítez's most important career step came in 1969, when she won the Festival de la Cancion Latina (Festival of the Latin Song) in Mexico. She participated with two songs, "Genesis" by G.V. Lloveras and "Energia De Mis Manos", by M. de Jesus. "Genesis" received the highest points (223) in the festival and Lucecita also won best dressed performer. Pedro Rivera Toledo's arrangement won as best, although the orhestra was conducted by Jose S. Marroquin. The festival was held at the Teatro Ferrocarrilero in Mexico. Lucecita became an instant hit in Mexico and throughout the Latino music world. She then became ill with asthma and needed to be cared for by then President Lyndon Johnson's personal physician. Lucecita's attire was designed by Puerto Rican dressmaker Martin, who used silk fabric imported from the East. Her most impressive thought the evening she won the festival was when several medical students from Puerto Rico studying in Mexico waved their country's flag after she was announced as winner. It was such that she had to restart the opening strains to "Genesis" as she became choked up with tears. She was received in Puerto Rico's International Airport after the festival ended with such importance and joy that schools had to be closed that morning while her caravan rode through the streets of San Juan. Her most happiest and ardent fans were the have-nots who congregated at the Luis Llorens Torres housing projects who applauded Lucecita as her caravan drove by. This important event in her career led to her performing with Sammy Davis Jr. and to an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. RCA signed her immediately, and her career's star rose considerably, touring all over Latin America and in Spain. She also performed for many years at the Club Caribe at Caribe Hilton Hotel hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Benítez still does world tours and performs live frequently. She has her own recording company, Grabaciones Lobo (Wolf Records). In 1994, she participated in Banco Popular's dedicatory to Jose Feliciano. At the same time, she also performed at Carnegie Hall, where she recorded a live album to honor the memory of salsa singer Ismael Rivera. Recently, Puerto Rico's government celebrated her 1969 triumph of "Genesis" with a gala celebration. The town of Caguas dedicated a museum of memorabilia in her honor. Her old friend and fan Roberto Tirado, pictured in the above photo with Lucecita taken at the NYC ACE Awards in 2000, has contributed to this museum with many items personally owned by Lucecita which he saved during her time at the height of her fame. Recently, in 2007, Lucecita was involved in a traffic accident where no one was injured. This happened in San Juan, Puert Rico, after she had left a dinner party. She was cleared of any wrongdoing. She travels frequently to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she has a huge fan following after her participation in a soap opera singing songs from her excellent album, "Exitos Callejeros." Lucecita's biography, co-written by Dr. Angel Opio and Lucecita, will be out soon with many exciting revelations by Lucecita. Dr. Opio has interviewed fans, photographers, producers, etc., in order to make this book a best seller and an authentic review and historical perspective of Lucecita's musical career.
[edit] Influences
Many people and fans have stated that artists such as Olga Guillot, Libertad Lamarque, etc. have been influences on Lucecita's musical career. However, Lucecita has credited her mother, Mrs. Luz Maria Rosado Benitez, as the major, if not sole, influence on her music. Lucecita has stated numerous times in the media such as the press, radio and television that she credits her mother for her musical interest and influence. Specifically, she states that since her father, Mr. Juan Benitez, was a merchant marine and was always away from home most of the time, her mother would sing throughout the house while she did her chores. Many of the songs were tangos and boleros. Lucecita picked up on this and also sang while she dusted, ironed for her brothers, etc. One day her mother heard her from the another room and was startled to hear that Lucecita's voice was almost like her own. This was brought on by her brother Miguel, who said to his mother that he wanted her to sing when he brought a certain girlfriend to the house. Mrs. Benitez told Miguel that it was not her singing, that it was Lucecita! From then on, Mrs. Benitez insisted that her older brother Enrique would take Lucecita to talent shows throughout San Juan. This was done mostly when Mr. Benitez was away on leave as he did not want his daughter to become involved in show business; he wanted her to become a lawyer, teacher, or some other profession.
[edit] 1970's
Lucecita's career was at her height during this time. Here, producer/host Ed Sullivan was in Puerto Rico on vacation and caught Lucecita's Caribe Hilton show and invited her to his CBS TV program, "The Ed Sullivan Show", seen on Sundays at 8PM nationwide. Sullivan was so impressed by her unique voice that he made sure she closed his show that December of 1970. She sang "Todas Las Mananas" ("Every Morning") accompanied by conga player Candido. Despite being accompanied by her manager Paquito Cordero, her personal assistants and make-up artist, previously mentioned New York fan club president Roberto Tirado, she was naturaly extremely nervous at this nationwide exposure. Bandleader Nelson Riddle, Frank Sinatra's conductor, was also Sullivan's house band leader. Riddle made sure that Lucecita was at ease; there was only one dress rehearsal before the live show. Sullivan allowed Lucecita to do her act in jeans and t-shirt, much to the other performer's chagrin. Lucecita's closing act was the beginning of her interntional musical induction.
[edit] Proud of Her Heritage
Lucecita transformed her image into a rebelious and angry genius. Gone was her straightened hair, her light skinned make-up and former appeasing to the masses. She now confronted the press with reserve and disdain: they had castigated her by writing terrible things about her when she let her natural "afro" hair style grow. It was now her turn to say what she felt in her heart. She recorded an album, with no title, just a drawing in color by a well known artist. The main song in the LP was "Soy de Una Raza Pura", ("I am a Pure Race") written by Tony Croatto and David Ortiz. This song became a number one hit both in Puerto Rico and the USA. She started wearing long, flowing robes and atended philosophy classes at the University of Puerto Rico. She traveled the world. She designed and promoted several concerts, "Traigo Un Pueblo En Mi Voz" and "En Las Manos Del Pueblo." However, the people began to have issues with Lucecita's new message of hope and respect for her people: the poor, the unaffected, the underserved. She had geared away from the type of music the people wanted to hear: ballads of love and despair. Lucecita began to hit hard times. Work was less forthcoming. The same people who had compared her to France's Edith Piaf now turned their back on her. Lucecita was at a career dead end and she inevitavely turned into depression, hopelessness, and solitude. It did not help matters that she was seen at many conventions where independence for Puerto Rico was at issue. She was labeled as such and that sealed her career's supposed demise. However, Lucecita had never pledged to any political party per se; she wanted her music to be heard by everyone. She became involved with much of the famous Puerto Rican poet Julia De Burgos' work and wanted to set it to music. She was thus a bohemian living in Old San Juan in an apartment that she was able to lease while she still had the means. She traveled to New York and performed at Carnegie Hall in an attempt by producer/promoter Hal Kaye and Roberto Tirado to revive her musical career. Only half of the famous Carnegie Hall was sold even though Lucecita performed magnificently. She received a standing ovation when she sang "Carta A Un Artista", ("A Letter To An Artist") a number by Argentinian composer Alberto Cortez. Most of the songs in her "En Las Manos Del Pueblo" concert and recording were written by Mr. Cortez.
