Ivan Villazon
| Iván Villazón | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Iván Francisco Villazón Aponte |
| Also known as | La Joven Voz Tenor |
| Born | October 25, 1959 |
| Origin | Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia |
| Genres | Vallenato, Latin |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | Sony Music |
| Website | none |
Iván Francisco Villazón Aponte (born October 25, 1959 in the city of Valledupar, Colombia), is one of the most renowned vallenato singers in Colombia. His career as a singer began in 1984 after dropping out of college where he was pursuing a degree in law.
Villazon spent his childhood in the city Valledupar where he attended middle school in the Colegio María Montessori. He grew up loving "parrandas" (parties) that his father Crispin organized with local musicians like Colacho Mendoza, Adán Montero, Ovidio Granados, Rodolfo Castilla and Alejo Duran, among many others. For high school Villazon was sent to the city of Bogotá to study in the Colegio REFOUS. After graduation he spent four years in college studying law in the Externado University but dropped out to pursue a vallenato singing career.
In 1984 Villazon recorded his first album with accordion player Alfredo Gámez under the Philips Records label and named it the Arco Iris (Rainbow) featuring a song of the same name written by Rafael Escalona. The album was a success and the song is still considered his trademark.
In 1985 he teamed up with accordion player Orangel Maestre and released a new album under the same record label with the name Una Voz, Un Rey. Three songs from this album became major hits: Mella Condolete by composer Hernando Marin, Pedazo de Acordeon by Alejo Duran and Sufrir de nuevo by van Ovalle.
In 1986 Villazon joined with accordion player Raul Martinez to record two albums, Los Virtuosos and Vamo' Amanece, under the CBS record label (now Columbia Records). The award-winning song El amor es un cultivo recorded in this album became a major hit, along with Sed de alma and Matica de toronjil. In 1987 they recorded their third album named Los Virtuosos Volumen II, producing two major hits; Recuérdame written by singer and composer Gustavo Gutiérrez Cabello and Yo tenia un amigo written by composer Rafael Manjarrez. Personal differences arose between Villazon and Martinez and they decided to separate.
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