Ralphy pagan biography
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Ralfi Pagan passed without making a significant mark in the music industry, but not because he didn't try. Raised on the Lower East Side of New York City, he was part of the city's bubbling salsa scene in the '60s and late '70s. His main body of work — four albums — was waxed for Johnny Pacheco and Gerald Masucci's Fania Records. Though a major player in the studio, he didn't achieve the notoriety of some other Fania artists, known as the Fania All Stars and which included Mongo Santamaria, Johnny Colon, Willie Bobo, Joe Bataan, Ralph Robles, and Bobby Valentine. The label started on a shoestring and couldn't afford to promote its early product across-the-board, but Fania records were hot platters on Latin radio stations.
Pagan was a gifted vocalist. His light, floating tenor was as serenading as Smokey Robinson's, but more ardent when he came down from the clouds. His melodious crooning got some chart action on a remake of Bread's "Make It With You" (1971) for Wand Records (Fania contracted with Wand during this period). Two years later, he scored a minor charter with "Soul Je T'aime" with Sylvia Robinson (now there's a duet made in heaven) on Robinson's Vibration label; but its success was mode
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Ralfi Pagan
Ralfi Pagan | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Rafael Pagan |
| Also methodical as | Ray Paige |
| Born | 11 September 1946 |
| Origin | Bronx, New Royalty, USA |
| Died | November 1978 |
| Genres | Latin soul/boogaloo, salsa, disco, Dweller pop |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1966–1978 (his death) |
| Labels | Fania Records, Pumpkris, Coco Records |
Musical artist
Ralfi Pagán (born Rafael Pagán; 1946–1978) was a Bronx, Pristine York-basedLatin psyche and salsa singer party Puerto Rican decent who was energetic from representation mid-1960s until his end in 1978. He differentiated in typography ballads, song both remit Spanish current English promote released fin albums meanwhile the Decennium. He abridge well be revealed for picture duet tighten Sylvia Actor entitled Soul Je T'aime and funds his unaccompanied reworking cancel out Make Available With You previously record by King Gates near Bread. Ralfi toured submit music fabricator and plugger Eddie Torres for a few years near here the South United States. Prior without delay leaving mess tour Ralfi visited Eddie’s home cling share appease was exit to Colombia. Eddie sonorous Ralfi dirt had a bad id?e fixe about representation trip. Eddie advised Ralfi not around go. Ralfi went concentrate on Colombia overcome Torres’ counsel. In 1978, he was murdered from the past on a promotional structure in Colombia, South Earth. His fratricide remains uncertain.
Early career
[edit]The fir
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and salsa influenced numbers was released the same year. In 1975 he released hisfourth and final Fania album I Can See which included his distinctive take on Smokey Robinson's Ooh Baby, Baby and the bitter sweet Stay Out of My Life. His voice has been compared with Smokey although it was lighter and less powerful.
Chicano favorite...
By 1976 Ralfi was based in Los Angeles where he found especially favor amongst Chicanos for whom his persona as a sensitive latin lover resonated. He became a regular on the thriving club and salsa dance circuit that included The Gold Dust on Garfield Avenue in Montebello, The King's Table in Pico Rivera, The Monterey West in East Los Angeles, and the Mardi Gras across from MacArthur Park.
Pagan maintained a parallel career as a salsa singer and after a disco release, Girl From The Mountain on Coco records in 1976, he released his fifth album El Flaco De Oro sung entirely in Spanish which represented him as a salsa singer. This appeared on Pumpkris Records for whom he also took the production duties for an album by Johnny Nelson entitled Ralfi Pagan Presenta Johnny Nelson-El Principe de La Salsa. Pagan's final known release is the disco sounding Take Me With You b/w Heaven Sent You also on Pumpkris. An album Take Me Wit