2 julio, 2024

Julio Jaramillo: biography and works

Julio Jaramillo (1935 – 1978) was a prominent Ecuadorian singer and musician, known as «El Ruiseñor de América» ​​or «Mr. Oath». He is considered the best singer in the musical history of Ecuador.

Jaramillo managed to achieve fame in Ecuador and throughout Latin America after making several tours of the continent during his artistic career. In addition to his solo performances, he has acted in several films and has appeared on radio and television.

The Ecuadorian singer managed to record more than 4,000 songs throughout his career, being Our oath one of his most famous compositions. Most of the lyrics of her songs address love and heartbreak, themes that permeated the society of the moment through boleros, waltzes, pasillos and rancheras.

His most popular songs include: Fatality, Five cents, Hate me, The soul on the lips and I will wait for you. Jaramillo’s music continues to play on many Latin American stations today.

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Biography

early years

Julio Alfredo Jaramillo Laurido was born on October 1, 1935 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He was the son of Juan Pantaleon Jaramillo Erazo and Apolonia Laurido Cáceres. He had two brothers: «Pepe», his older brother, and a sister who died when he was only 5 years old.

His father died on April 2, 1941 when he was making a cross for his deceased little daughter. When he was only 5 years old, Jaramillo was left alone with his mother and his brother. Despite financial problems, his mother managed to raise and educate them while she worked as a nurse in a hospital.

The Jaramillo brothers studied at the Guayas Philanthropic Society school; however, Julio dropped out due to disciplinary problems in third grade.

He was introduced to the world of music by his neighbor Ignacio Toapanta, who instructed him in guitar lessons. Toapanta realized Jaramillo’s enormous musical talent, so he concentrated on educating him in depth.

Passionate about the instruments of Toapanta, Julio Jaramillo decided to make his own bamboo guitar to practice on his own. His musical career began when he enrolled in a music school directed by Francisco García Avilés.

The singer was characterized by being sickly during his childhood: he had early paralysis and suffered from bronchopneumonia, in addition to other infectious diseases.

beginnings in music

At the age of 15, his brother Pepe had been successful as a pasillo singer, but he gave up music to study philosophy in Colombia.

Julio was undisciplined, but his motivation to follow in his brother’s footsteps led him to focus on his musical career. At the same time, he worked as a shoemaker and furniture varnisher.

His artistic life formally began when he won a radio contest to appear in nightclubs as a singer. When she finally finished her music studies, she moved to Colombia to work and make herself known.

At the age of 17, her melodious voice became more and more famous; in fact, he participated as a guest in several radio programs. In 1950, he got together with two musician friends to form a trio and toured various provinces of Ecuador.

Despite his attributes as a singer, Jaramillo had to return to his trade as a shoemaker in order to survive. He had a disorderly lifestyle, which was openly criticized by public opinion and even by his mother.

Love life

He left home at the age of 18 to move in with Irene, a young woman who was his girlfriend at the time. Together they rented an apartment and had a baby, but he died at eight months old. Although he worked as a shoemaker, Julio continued to venture into the musical world, but with little financial success.

Julio Jaramillo began to attend a place called «La Lagartera», where the musicians and poets of the time met. In that place, he managed to establish friendly relations with other musicians. During that time, he met a woman named Odalina Sánchez, with whom he fell in love. He left Irene living alone in her apartment.

Julio and Odalina had a son named Francisco Jaramillo, but he later married another woman named María Rivera. Julio got his new wife pregnant when they were married four months. Despite this, he maintained secret romances with Odalina and had two more children with her.

The singer was characterized by leading a disordered life, guided by women and alcohol; ironically, his attitude caught on with the people and increased his popularity. He started recording new songs and TV shows.

His hectic lifestyle had negative consequences for his health. These were reflected throughout her entire adulthood and ended up directly influencing her death.

Artistic career

In 1954 he recorded his first album titled poor my dear mother, in a duet with the Ecuadorian singer Fresia Saavedra. From that record, her name gained a new degree of relevance within the Ecuadorian music community.

The following year, he performed a Peruvian-style waltz song titled Wife, sung as a duet with Carlos Rubira Infante, another famous Ecuadorian composer. She rose to fame in 1956 with another Peruvian-style waltz titled Fatality.

The single was played on all stations in Ecuador and on radio stations across the continent, marking the beginning of his successful artistic career. Her song sold more than 5,000 copies in a week. In addition, she began to venture into the world of acting playing roles on television and in movies.

He made several tours of Latin America to publicize his successful bolero Our oath. The single allowed him to establish himself in the international music environment. However, after another long and successful tour, she had to put her music career on hold to serve in the military in Ecuador.

Return to artistic life

After finishing his military service, he decided to continue his artistic career leading the same bohemian and disorderly life. He participated in the movie Romance in Ecuadorin addition to three other films shot in Argentina, Chile and Mexico.

In 1965 he settled for a time in Venezuela. While living there, she managed to make successful tours to Mexico, Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries. After his resounding success, the Peerless label contacted him to do another tour of Latin America with them.

Jaramillo wanted to marry Coralia Valle in El Salvador; however, the marriage was annulled because he was still officially married in Ecuador to María Rivera, his first wife.

When the divorce was finalized, he decided to marry Nancy Arroyo, a close friend who was by his side for 16 years of his life. Finally, Jaramillo and Arroyo settled in Venezuela.

Last years

He returned to Ecuador in 1975, old, tired, and sick with cirrhosis. He attempted to sing again in his homeland, but his deteriorating physical condition damaged his voice, leading to jeers from members of his audience.

During his last years of life, Jaramillo had a radio program known as The JJ Hour. The program produced very little money, making it impossible for the singer to have a good quality of life. In 1978, Jaramillo underwent surgery to remove gallstones from his gallbladder.

Although the procedure was successful, he developed severe peritonitis during the postoperative period. She underwent a second operation, but his body was already in a high state of disrepair.

Jaramillo passed away on February 9, 1978, at the age of 42. According to doctors, the cause of death had been respiratory arrest. However, it is theorized that he definitely collapsed from cirrhosis.

Plays

Julio Jaramillo, during his 23 years of artistic life, recorded more than 5,000 songs throughout Latin America.

Many of Jaramillo’s songs were adaptations of poems, composed mainly by Ecuadorian writers. However, he also produced various pieces across the continent with world famous artists.

Fatality

Fatality It was the song that launched Jaramillo to international stardom in 1956. The song was originally written by Laureano Martínez and Juan Prieto; however, guitarist Rosalino Quintero and Jaramillo made changes to the song to create their own version.

Instead of using the guitar, Rosalino used the requinto (a smaller guitar). This achieved a combination of the Peruvian waltz with the typical Ecuadorian corridors. The theme had over 5,000 buyers within the first week of launch.

Our oath

Our oath was a song composed by the Puerto Rican Benito de Jesús and performed by Julio Jaramillo in 1957. This single was the one that led Jaramillo to position himself as one of the best singers of romantic ballads worldwide.

Jaramillo performed this song with Rosalino Quintero himself, who once again took up the requinto to give the piece of music a unique touch. The success of the song made Jaramillo become known as mr oath.

the soul on the lips

the soul on the lips It was one of the most famous songs by Julio Jaramillo. The song was adapted from one of the poems by the Ecuadorian Medardo Ángel Silva, originally composed for the poet’s wife.

The composer Francisco Paredes Herrera modified the composition so that it could be interpreted by Jaramillo. The theme is recognized as one of the most important corridor pieces in the history of Ecuador.

References

Julio Jaramillo, Wikipedia in English, (nd). Taken from Wikipedia.org
Julio Jaramillo: A legend who died 40 years ago, Nina Bortulossi, (2018). Taken from el-carabobeno.com
Julio Jaramillo, editors of encolombia, (nd). Taken from encolombia.com
Julio Jaramillo Music Greatest Hits, website Goraymi, (nd). Taken from goraymi.com
Julio Jaramillo, Biographies and Lives Portal, (nd). Taken from biografiasyvidas.com

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