Biography of Ismael Rivera

Ismael Rivera (San Mateo Cangrejos, Santurce, Puerto Rico, October 5, 1931 – May 13, 1987) known as "Maelo", "el sonero mayor de Puerto Rico" and also as "el brujo de Boriquen" was a singer of Puerto Rican and Cuban music. In the 1970s it became part of the Fania All Stars. He had his biggest success with "las caras lindas" written by Tite Curet Alonso. Another subject that made him famous was "El Nazareno", song that speaks of the pilgrimages made between from 1975 to 1985 to the procession of the black Christ of Portobelo, Panama


Rivera was born in Santurce, a sector of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was the first of five children born to Luis and Margarita Rivera. His father, Luis, was a carpenter and his mother a housewife. As a child, Rivera was always singing and banging on cans with sticks. He received his primary education at the Pedro G. Goyco Elementary School and then went on to learn carpentry at a vocational school. He also shined shoes to help his family financially and when he was 16 years old, he worked as a carpenter.During his free time he would hang around the corner with his best friend Rafael Cortijo and sing songs. In 1948, Rivera and Cortijo joined El Conjunto Monterrey, where Rivera played the conga and Cortijo the bongos. Rivera was unable to work full-time as a musician because of his work as a carpenter. 


In 1952, Rivera joined the U.S. Army but was quickly discharged, because he didn't speak English. When he returned to Puerto Rico, he went to work as a lead singer with Orquesta Panamericana, thanks to the recommendation of his friend Cortijo. With Orquesta Panamericana, Rivera recorded and scored his first hits with the songs "El charlatán", "Ya yo sé", "La vieja en camisa" and "La sazón de Abuela". However, an incident between Rivera and another band member, over a girl, led to his departure from the popular band. In 1954, he joined Cortijo's Combo and recorded the following songs, which soon became hits in the American Latin community 


"El Bombón de Elena" 
"El Negro Bembón"
"Juan José"
"Besitos de Coco"
"Palo Que Tú Me Das"
"Quítate de la Vía Perico"
"Oriza"
"El Chivo de la Campana"
"Maquinolandera"
"El Yayo"
"María Teresa"
"Yo Soy del Campo"