Representative Albums: "La Herencia", "El Alquimista
Biography
Born January 31, 1935, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Pedro Juan Rodríguez Ferrer first began playing percussion as a young boy. However, his skills with his voice, and not with his hands, would propel him into the ranks as one of salsa's finest singers. Rodríguez was just a young man when he moved to New York City and bandleader Johnny Pacheco saw him performing in a Bronx bar and soon recruited him for his orchestra. Rodríguez also sang on Conjunto Sensacíon's Swing '65¸ but he returned to Pacheco to record with him, including Tres de Cafe y Dos de Azucar and the first-ever release for the fledgling Fania label, Cañonazo (he was also a founding member of the Latin supergroup Fania All-Stars, and performed on a number of their releases). In 1974, under the management of his wife, Francis, the singer (who by this time was going by Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, the royal moniker given to him because of his majestic stage presence) decided to start work as a solo artist. Keeping the Cuban conjunto format he had used with Pacheco, Rodríguez's debut solo album, El Conde, came out that same year to much success. In the next few years he released four more albums, including 1976's Este Negro Si Es Sabroso and 1982's Fiesta con "El Conde". In 1983 he and Pacheco reunited for four more albums, among which was the 1987's Grammy-nominated Salsobita. In the '90s, Rodríguez decided to make the switch to using a full orchestra behind him, and released Generaciones in 1993 and Pete y Papo with pianist Papo Lucca in 1996. Four years later, on December 1, 2000, after a career highlighted by performances with some of salsa music's greatest stars, El Conde died of a heart attack in his home in the Bronx. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
Pedro Juan Rodriguez Ferrer (January 31, 1932 – December 2, 2000), better known as Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez was a salsa singer born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His son, also named Pete Rodriguez, is also a salsa and jazz musician.[1]
Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez was a percussionist who started playing bongos at the age of five. After working with local groups in Ponce, Puerto Rico, he moved to The Bronx during the 1950s. While singing and playing the congas in a Bronx bar, he was spotted by legendary bandleader Johnny Pacheco. His first album was titled Suavito, which was released in 1963.
Just a year later in 1964, Pacheco and his lawyer Jerry Masucci founded The Fania All-Stars, a combination of the best Latin singers and musicians at that time. Pete's first album under the Fania label was Canonazo. Between 1964 and 1973, Rodriguez and Pacheco recorded seven albums including La Perfecta Combinacion (1970), Los Compadres (1971), and Tres De Cafe Y Dos De Azucar (1973).
In 1974, Rodriguez left the Fania All-Stars and concentrated on a successful solo career. His solo debut album El Conde (1974) was an award winner. His 1976 album Este Negro Si Es Sabroso was rated ninth in best Salsa records at that time. That album featured one of his most popular songs, "Catalina La O".
During the 1980s, with the Fania All-Stars on the verge of disbanding, Rodriguez reunited with Johnny Pacheco and recorded four more albums between 1983 and 1989. Their 1987 album Salsobita was nominated for a Grammy. By 1990, he went solo again.
Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez only recorded two albums in the 1990s with one of his hit songs "Esos Tus Ojos Negros" being released in 1993. By 2000, he was hired by Tito Puente to provide lead vocals for a tribute to the late bolero singer Benny Moré. However, the album was released posthumously because Tito Puente died on May 31, 2000. Ironically, Rodriguez also had a heart ailment, but he refused to undergo bypass surgery as Tito Puente did but ultimately died. On December 1, 2000, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 68.
Discography
Suavito (1963)
Canonazo (1964)
Perfecta Combinacion (1970)
Los Compadres (1971)
Tres De Cafe Y Dos De Azucar (1973)
El Conde (1974)
Este Negro Si Es Sabroso (1976; re-released in 2006)
