José Luis Rodríguez (singer)

José Luis Rodríguez

El Puma in concert

"El Puma" aka "The Cougar" in 2012
Background information
Birth name José Luis Rodríguez Gónzalez
Also known as El Puma, El Capitán, El Grande
Born (1943-01-14) 14 January 1943
Caracas, Venezuela
Genres Ballad, Bolero, Latin pop
Occupation(s) Singer, Record producer, Actor, Entrepreneur
Instruments Voice
Years active 1961–present
Labels Velvet, TopHits, RCA, Polydor, Sony BMG
Associated acts Mirla Castellanos, Ilan Chester, Estela Raval, Vikki Carr
Website www.elpuma.com

José Luis Rodríguez González, nicknamed El Puma (Cougar) (Spanish pronunciation: [xoseˈlwis roˈðɾiɣes]; 14 January 1943), is a Venezuelan singer and actor who is known for having recorded many international super hits and participated in a handful of telenovelas. He also served as a coach and mentor on the Peruvian and Argentine version of The Voice, as well as a judge on X Factor Chile.

Life and career

José Luis Rodríguez was born in Caracas, Venezuela to José Antonio Rodríguez from the Canary Islands, Spain and Ana González a Venezuelan housewife. He lost his father at the age of six, and was raised by his mother (an illiterate then, learned to read as an adult in order to read the Bible) along with 11 brothers and sisters. He grew up in very modest conditions, having to shine shoes, and pack bags in a supermarket for a living at an early age. Without an academic formation, he shaped himself as a singer and actor by empirical means.

As his mother participated in the revolt against Marcos Pérez Jiménez (holding weapons and hiding politicians in her home), Rodríguez lived in exile in Ecuador with her and his brother, for a couple of years.

Rodríguez surfaced in his homeland in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and was able to build a fan base there. He also participated in a famous commercial, along with his family during that time. Rodríguez went to Puerto Rico, where he participated in the Telenovela Cristina Bazán, alongside Johanna Rosaly and young Adamari López. It was whilst there that he received his nickname, El Puma. Later, he also made the telenovela, El ídolo, with Cuban actress Marylin Pupo, playing Omar Contreras (a.k.a. El Puma).

Rodríguez's main money revenue, however, was his singing career. His hits included Dueño de nada, Pavo real and Agárrense de las manos. With the second, he caused controversy at the 1982 contest of Miss Universe, which was being held in Lima, Peru; the song's main issue was interracial marriage.

Later, Rodríguez participated in the Spanish version of Meet the Robinsons, La Familia del Futuro, as Wilbur Robinson's father. El Puma also starred in an advertising campaign for Wrigley's Eclipse gum,[1] with the spot drawing on his persona, using humor and kitsch to highlight the tagline, "Libera el Puma que hay en tí" (Free the puma within).

In May 2009, Rodriguez joined the cast of the miniseries, Gabriel, produced for the Hispanic audience in the United States by Megafilms and transmitted by Mega TV. The miniseries, released in November of the same year is based on the themes of vampirism and ocultism.[2]

In July 2012 he was a judge and voice trainer on La Voz... Argentina (Argentine version of The Voice) that was broadcast on Telefe.[3] Along with co-presenters Fernán Martínez and Carolina Ramírez, he served as a judge on a dance programme called La Pista which was aired on Caracol TV in Colombia.

In August 2013, Rodríguez was part of the first season of La Voz Perú, where he was coach for one of the four teams. On December 20 one of his pupils, young Daniel Lazo, placed first in the competition, making Rodríguez the first winning coach in the history of La Voz Perú.[4][5]

In September 2013 in an interview with the Peruvian newspaper, La República, Rodríguez expressed that he would continue to perform music but cease to produce records because of piracy.[6][7]

Personal life

Rodríguez was married to Lila Morillo from 1966 to 1986 and is the father of actresses Lilibeth Morillo, Liliana Rodriguez. He fathered Génesis Rodríguez with Cuban born model Carolina Perez who were ultimately married in 1997 to Present.

Select album discography

Telenovelas

See also

References

  1. ↑ El Puma en Cotorreando on YouTube
  2. ↑ ""El Puma" se une al elenco de esperada miniserie". hispanicprwire.com. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Lo pensé dos segundos y dije que sí". television.com.ar. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  4. ↑ ""La Voz": 'El Puma', Kalimba, Jerry Rivera y Eva Ayllón serán los entrenadores". El Comercio. 8 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Daniel Lazo es el flamante ganador de "La voz Perú"". 21 December 2013.
  6. ↑ López Gonzales, Janet (18 September 2013). "José Luis Rodríguez: "Sigo vigente en los escenarios"". La República. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  7. ↑ ""El Puma" dice que no graba discos por culpa de la piratería". El Espectador. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
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