Victor Wood

For the curler, see Victor Wood (curler)
Victor Wood
Birth name Victor Wood
Born February 1, 1946
Origin Buhi, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Genres Manila sound
OPM
Occupation(s) Singer, actor, politician
Years active 1960s-present
Labels Vicor and Plaka Pilipino(1970-1977)

Victor "Vic" Wood (born February 1, 1946 in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Philippines) is a [1] singer, actor and politician. His voice earned him various titles, including "Jukebox King" and "Plaka King".

Before becoming a singer, Wood starred in some productions of Sampaguita Pictures.He is a member of Iglesia Ni Cristo.

Biography

Victor Wood was born on February 1, 1946 in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Philippines to Sgt. Kocky Wood and Rosario "Tiyang Saring" Nobleza. His mother was well known in Buhi and neighboring towns for selling herbal medications and perfumes. He studied and finished secondary school at Jose Abad Santos High. His voice earned him various titles, including Jukebox King and Plaka King. In the 1970s, his career bloomed. He loved the adulation and admiration of his fans and the media.

He and his family migrated to the US in 70’s, where he co-owned four gasoline stations and was into real estate and landscaping. In addition, he managed the $i.5-million Palm Plaza Restaurant.

He ran for the Senate of the Philippines during the 2007 Philippine general election, under the KBL banner, but lost.

Personal life

Wood has two children with his second wife, Ofelia Mercado Ponce, whom he met during his stay in the United States.[2] Together they have a son, Simon, and a daughter, Sydney Victoria.[2][3]

LP Albums with Tracks

"In Despair"

In 1972, Philippine singer Victor Wood released In Despair. Wood was a very popular singer of that era, and recorded many albums for Vicor Records. In Despair is dominated by remakes of popular American songs from the 1950s and 1960s. Three songs here were originally hits for Little Richard in the 1950s, and include "Jenny Jenny," "Rip It Up," and "Good Golly Miss Molly." The album has an assortment of slow and fast songs, and the ballads include "In Despair," "Vaya Con Dios," "Have a Good Time," "Hurt," and "Return to Me." The album's ballads are highly conducive to karaoke singing, and a number of them are often heard in karaoke nightspots. Throughout In Despair, Wood sings in a strong but soothing voice. His performances are always passionate and very sincere. Another of the album's upbeat songs is the remake of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman." Wood's version retains the famous guitar line of the original, but adds a distinctive fuzz tone to it. On Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lula," Wood sings in a rough-edged, gritty style, imbued with much passion and spirit. Wood's version of Del Shannon's classic "Runaway" is markedly different from the original, and is performed at a much slower pace and has a more introspective demeanor. The arrangement contains a hypnotic guitar riff not heard in the original. In Despair is very enjoyable, although it doesn't bode well that every song is a remake of an American song.

"Blue Christmas"

"Mr. Lonely"

"Memories"

"Knock On Wood"

"His Majesty"

"Victor Wood Music"

"Wood, I Love You"

"I'm Sorry My Love"

"Ihilak (Plaka Pilipino)"

In 1974, Philippine male singer Victor Wood released Ihilak. Eleven of the album's 12 songs are Philippine folk/love songs sung in Visayan language (the Visayas region is the central group of islands in the Philippines). The remaining song uses the melody of Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue," but replaces the original English lyrics with those of the Visayan dialect. The album opens with the tender "Ihilak," which moves in a slow, shuffle-like pace. Victor Wood sings "Ihilak" with depth and tenderness, and puts much warmth into his voice. "Ihilak" tells of a man's despair for the loss of his love: "What is the real reason/You just forgot good memories/You left me/I did not abandon my love for you." The following song, "Gugma Ko," uses the melody of Neil Diamond's '60s hit "Song Sung Blue" over new lyrics in the Visayan dialect, which tell about a man offering love to a girl during courtship. "Hain Nang Panumpa Mo" (Where Is Your Promise) tells of another love affair that left a man with a broken heart. Most of the songs are performed in a mournful minor key and have a mournful tone in both the melody and lyrics. The opening melody of the slow-paced "Mahimong Biya-an Mo Ako," for example, sounds as though it belongs at a funeral, but is about a love that went wrong. "Ika-Duhang Bathala" (The Second God) is a pretty, tender song. "Tuba" (Wine) isn't about love, but is about wine that some people are enjoying. The song uses a folkish, polka-like rhythm that has an appealing quality. This album is very different for Victor Wood, who often performs remakes of American songs, but the difference is very much appreciated.

"Pilipino"

"Kalyehon 29"

"Love Is"

"Wooden Heart"

"Sincerely"

"Follow Me"

"Karon or Visayan Hitsongs Collection Vol. 2"

"Moods"

"Victor Wood (Self-titled Album)"

"One Man Show (Live Album)"

"Bintana ng Puso"

"Kumusta Ka, Mahal"

"If I See You Again"

"Padre"

"Inday Ng Buhay Ko"

See also

References

  1. ↑ [Filipino people|Filipino]
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gil, Baby (May 27, 2009). "Simon Wood ready for stardom". PhilStar. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  3. ↑ Lo, Ricardo (May 4, 2009). "Simon Wood: Truly his father's son". PhilStar. Retrieved September 8, 2009.

External links