Andy Montañez

Andrés Montañez Rodríguez (born May 7, 1942),<ref name="AMG">Template:Cite web</ref> better known as Andy Montañez, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter.

Early life

Montañez is a native of the Tras Talleres area of Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico.<ref name="AMG"/> He is known by the nicknames "El Godfather de la Salsa" and "El Niño De Trastalleres".<ref name="FNCP">Template:Cite web</ref>

Musical career

Montañez first gained fame as a member of the internationally successful El Gran Combo group,<ref name="AMG"/> with songs like "Hojas blancas" (White Leaves), "Un verano en N.Y." (A Summer in NY), "El barbero loco" (The Crazy Barber), "Julia", "Ponme el alcolado, Juana" (Rub Me With the Bay Rum, Juana), "Vagabundo" (Bum), "El Swing", etc. He stayed for approximately 15 years, producing 37 LPs. He left El Gran Combo to pursue a career with Venezuelan group La Dimension Latina,<ref name="AMG"/> creating a feud between the two groups. After leaving El Gran Combo, he enjoyed considerable success on an international scale with his own orchestra,<ref name="AMG"/> touring Latin America and the United States several times. He represented Puerto Rico at the 1992 World's Fair in Seville, Spain.

Recent years

In recent years, he had teamed up with fellow salsa singer Ismael Miranda to produce some boleros and bohemian music. By 2005-06 he began creating a new blend between salsa and reggaeton, called salsaton. In April 2006, he released a new album titled Salsatón - Salsa con Reggaetón, which was produced by Sergio George and featured reggaeton rappers Daddy Yankee, Julio Voltio, La Sista, and John Eric. In 2007, he filmed various television advertisements on nutrition for the Puerto Rico Department of Family Affairs (including one in which he sang a rhumba to a dancing carrot).

On November 2, 2006, Montañez won his first Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album, together with Pablo Milanés. Montañez was selected to form part of a benefit concert titled “Somos Haití”, where funds would be gathered to support Haiti after the 2008 hurricane season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2015, Montañez appeared on Puerto Rican singer Ivy Queen's ninth studio album Vendetta. The album was split into four separate albums, one being an album composed entirely of only salsa music. On the album, Montañez dueted with Queen on a re-recording of his 1988 hit, "Casi Te Envidio".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Andy has five children, two daughters and three sons. Andy Jr. Harold, and Lisa have gone on to become salsa singers and have worked with their father for over 25 years, occasionally serving as back-up vocalists at his concerts.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> His oldest son, Andy Montañez Jr., died on July 24, 2019, at the age of 54.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Discography

El Gran Combo (1962–1976)

• De Siempre (1963)
• Acángana (1964)
• Ojos Chinos-Jala Jala (1964)
• El Caballo Pelotero (1965)
• El Swing de El Gran Combo (1966)
• En Navidad (1966)
• Maldito Callo (1967)
• Esos Ojitos Negros (1967)
• Fiesta con El Gran Combo (1967)
• Boogalaoos (1967)
• Tú Querías Boogaloo?...Toma Boogaloo! (1967)
• Pata-Pata, Jala Jala, Boogaloo (1967)
• Tangos (1968)
• Los Nenes Sicodélicos (1968)
• Latin Power (1968)
• Smile! It's (1968)
• Éste Si Que Es (1969)
• Estamos Primeros (1970)
• De Punta a Punta (1971)
• Por el Libro (1972)
• En Acción (1973)
• Número 5 (1973)
• Disfrútelo Hasta el Cabo! (1974)
• Número 7 (1975)
• Los Sorullos (1975)
• Mejor Que Nunca (1976)

La Dimensión Latina (1977–1980)

• Los Generales de la Salsa (1977)
• Inconquistable (1978)
• Una Dimensión Desconocida (1978)
• Tremenda Dimensión (1978)
• Combinación Latina (1979)
• En el Madison Square Garden (1980)

Y Su Orquesta (1980–present)

• Salsa Con Caché (1980)
• Para Ustedes...Con Sabor! (1981)
• Trovador del Amor (1981)
• Sólo Boleros (1982)
• Hoy...y Ayer (1982)<ref name="LarkinGE">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Tania y Andy (1984)
• Versátil (1984)
• Andy Montañez (1985)<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
• Mejor Acompañado Que Nunca (1987)<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
• El Eterno Enamorado (1988)
• Todo Nuevo (1990)<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
• El Catedrático de la Salsa (1991)
• El Swing de Siempre (1992)
• Cantando Voy Por el Mundo (1994)
• Quien No Se Siente Patriota (2006)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Salsatón - Salsa con Reggaetón (2006)<ref name="AMG"/>
• El Godfather de la Salsa (2007)
• Andy y Atabal (2008)
• De Andy Al Combo (2010)

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans

External links

• Template:Official website
• Biography in Music of Puerto Rico
• Interview with Andy Montanez on CorrienteLatina.com