Trio Vegabajeño was a legendary Puerto Rican popular music trio that existed from the 1930s to the 1990s. This group marked an era of popular music in Puerto Rico, when the genre was widespread in the Americas, they were considered the island's best representatives. Vegabajeño is the demonym for people of the town of Vega Baja, where the first version was organized during the 1930s by Fernandito Álvarez, who eventually disbanded the group due to fatigue and personal commitments. In 1943, the Trio Vegabajeño was reformed by Álvarez at the Tortuguero Military Camp of Vega Baja, after he gathered a few co-workers (Octavio González and Benito de Jesús) to put together a few musical numbers. Rafael Quiñones Vidal played a role in introducing them to the public by including the group in his radio show. Shortly after they recorded their first song "Llanto de mar". At the time only Álvarez and Benito de Jesus did both vocals and guitar while Octavio González only played guitar. En mi Viejo San Juan (lit. "In my Old San Juan") was first recorded by El Trio Vagabajeño in 1943 under the label RCA Victor. The song had an immediate impact and many other versions followed. The composition was written by Puerto Rican composer and singer Noel Estrada and has been translated into various languages. The song is "widely known around the world".Noel Estrada. Clarissa Santiago Toro. Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular
In 1945 Octavio González was drafted for military service and the trio brought Pepito Maduro, also a singer, as the replacement. The group now had an all singers line-up and became pioneers of this new style. Despite beginning as a trio, the group became a quartet in 1952 when Jorge Hernández (requinto player) joined the group. They did not change the name of the group. This was one of their most successful line-up and even though was not the original, it was sometimes referred to as the "original" or "authentic" line-up.triomania - Trio Vegabajeño After the departure of Jorge and Benito, the trio had different line-ups, which continued performing until the 1990s. In 1986 one of the classic line-ups (Fernandito, Benito, Pepito and Jorge) reunited to record a song ("Medley Trio Vegabajeño") with Danny Rivera for the album Ofrenda. Aside from that, two of the other songs were composed by members of the trio: "Meleque" (by Pepito Maduro) and "Que Lindas Son Las Mañanas" (by Benito de Jesús). Eventually they were recognized as the National Trio of Puerto RicoVintage Music - Trio Vegabajeño and on October 26, 1996, a monument was inaugurated in Vega Baja. The group was also popular throughout Latin America and New York, where they first played in 1947 and continued visiting annually for two decades.
History Early years The first version of the trio was completed by Pedro Crespo González and Cruz Negrón, playing mostly tangos, waltz and chacareras. This version participated in radio events like the Concierto de Vanguardia, where they performed in a number of tasks including a guitar duo and the songs "Alma", "La última carta", "Apiádate de mí" and "Corneta China". When they performed, WKAQ was the only commercial station in radio. This original trio was disbanded when Álvarez married. The following lineup included Álvarez as lead singer, first guitar Ramón Antonio Lavandero and third guitar Francisco Pérez, with Mariano Artau serving as their presenter. They joined at Vega Baja and debuted at the Teatro América. After completing a season at the Condado Hotel, Lavandero and Pérez were drafted for military service and their involvement with the group ceased. Drafted himself, Álvarez met De Jesús and González at Camp Tortuguero, with whom he practiced for almost a year before finally finding their definitive rhythm. These rehearsals took place at Álvarez's house and involved practicing different Latin American rhythms.
They made their debut in one of Rafael Quiñones Vidal Sr.'s shows, Tribuna del Arte, which aired trough WNEL. They would later be well regarded among several "graduates" from this program. Despite the show being recorded at San Juan, Rafael Quiñones Jr. decided that the group's name should continue to pay homage to Vega Baja. A notable quirk was that some of their songs were about beaches, such as Playa Vega Baja and Mar Chiquita. Pepito Maduro, previously from Trio Los Gauchos, joined when González was drafted. This version of the Trio Vegabajeño was more adept to perform in a wider variety of rhythms, but always emphasized Puerto Rican composers. They traveled to the Triboro at New York for three consecutive years. They became known throughout Latin America, not only due to being frequent visitors, but also due to their willingness to perform the songs written by composers throughout the region. Despite the name of the group, its members were form different municipalities, Benito was from Barceloneta and Pepito from Humacao. Álvarez first performed as a child, interpreting a tango by Gardel.
First decade of the Golden Era When Noel Estrada composed En Mi Viejo San Juan as an homage to his brother on August 23, 1943, RCA Victor was not interested in it due to believing that the lyrics were "too local" for international markets, but Álvarez was insistent on including the song in their repertoire and they threatened with otherwise leaving the label. Their first production was recorded in a small room at San Juan and featured the work of composer Noel Estrada. During World War II, the Trio Vegabajeño was recruited to entertain Puerto Rican soldiers and visit bases throughout the Caribbean for entertainment. They began their artistic career working in radio, night clubs and hotels throughout Puerto Rico. Their musical acts were also presented at the Tres Banderas cinema at San Juan. The group appeared in Diplo's (Ramón Rivero) A mi me matan, pero yo gozo, which was organized at the Teatro Tapia and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). In March 1945, the Atenas and Roosevelt cinemas exhibited their debut.
At Jack's night clubs they headlined shows during which they were labeled as either "The 3 Gauchos from Puerto Rico" or "Los Charros Puertorriqueños". The Trio Vegabajeño also collaborated with poet Juan Boria in a farewell show for Alicia Bibiloni, who left the local stages to travel abroad. In June 1945, the Trio Vegabajeño performed under the Díaz-Triana duet at Teatro Tapia. They also performed for the Phi Eta Mu fraternity and the Guadalquivir Casino. In August 1945, they once again entertained the troops, this time at Camp O'Reilly. They joined Ruth Fernández for shows held at the Paramount cinema, which were combined with showings of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.
The group was always present in local radio, with their renditions sponsored by the Kofresí rum brand on WIAC and a show for the soldiers taped along Myrtha Silva recurrently airing on WNLL. They played at various locales and social events, including high school class events and the first anniversary of the Savoy Club.
The group performed along Digna Zapata at the Sirocco Club at Río Piedras, in a show held for her birthday. Along Boria, Diplo, Zapata and others, they performed in a homage to Fernández held on October 4, 1945. Within weeks, the Trio Vegabajeño joined Diplo again in another homage, this one for Myrta Silva and held at the Escambrón Beach Club. The group joined Elsa Valladares at the Quadalquivir Beach Casino at Isla Verde. They were contracted for an activity that the Club de Leones held with Michael Holm as a guest. The group finished the initial voting for the 1945 Concurso de Simpatías, a local popularity contest, in the seventh place and as the only group in the Top-10 which was dominated by Myrta Silva. However, within a week they had climbed to the second spot. They finished the contest in that place with 48,100 votes, while Silva gathered 64,700 to retain the top spot throughout the voting. At WIAC, they appeared in a show sponsored by Palo Viejo for the returning Puerto Rican soldiers. This would lay the foundation for the Hora Radial Palo Viejo, which aired on WNEL and WKVM, with the group as its exclusive artists. In December 1945, they participated in a farewell shows for Digna Zapata and Los Kikaros. To close the year, the Trio Vegabajeño joined Elsa Valladares in the anniversary show of the Colonia Hispanoamericana of Bayamón.
To open 1946, they participated in a Three Kings Day show for the Puerto Rican diaspora and transmitted by WNEL and retransmitted by NBC in New York. They also continued participating in civic activities, such as the inauguration of the Club Social Deportivo at Toa Alta. They were contracted for an event held to welcome actress María Antonieta Pons to Puerto Rico by Tropical Films Inc. and senator William Córdova Chirino. In February 1946, the Trio Vegabajeño performed along Juan José Saro in lovak cinemas. In March 1946, the Trio Vegabajeño accompanied Libertad Lamarque in the Teatro La Perla at Ponce, the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) at Río Piedras and Parque Sixto Escobar at Old San Juan.
In March 1946, the Teatro Puerto Rico hosted them and 150 other artists that performed in trios, quartets, duos and singles in a music carnival, an event that lasted three hours. Another concert in this format was organized by the Casino de Comerío the following month. In April 1946, the group performed at the Cobian's theatre chain in a farewell show for Jorge Sareli. The Trio Vegabajeño was among the artists that played during the annual dance of the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Periodistas, the main association of local press, organized at the Condado Beach Hotel. The group was featured in a space at WNEL which was sponsored by the Casa Riondo hotel, after signing an exclusivity deal with that brand. They hosted two dances that the Casino de Artesanos de Bayamón organized during that municipality's Fiestas Patronales. In July, the Trio Vegabajeño played at the closing of the Fiestas de San Juan Bautista and hosted a gala with Mapy and Fernando Cortés.
On September 5, 1946, the Trio Vegabajeño released a bolero version of "En Mi Viejo San Juan" and "Fichas Negras". They returned to the Cobian's for an homage to Johnny Rodríguez. In October 1946, the Trio Vegabajeño released the criollo song "Pedacito de Borínquen" and the boleros "Locura de amor". The group participated in a farewell activity for Lilliam de Mendoza. They harmonized El Pelotero Estrella de la Semana, a recurrent baseball show recorded at the Teatro Paramount.
Within a month, they released "Amor del Jibarito". Returning to Jack's, they participated in shows headlined by Lilliam de Mendoza and accompanied Aida Luz Vélez. Meanwhile, they retook participation in community events by performing at the Academia San Jorge. Their single "Lo Nuestro Terminó" entered the Puerto Rico Top-10 in late 1946 and remained there for months. On New Year's Eve, the Trio Vegabajeño participated in a concert held at Fort Buchanan and transmitted through WNEL. To open the year, they participated in a farewell homage to Myrta Silva at the Escambrón Beach Club. They performed in similar farewells for Carlos Guilbe, Carlos Acosta and the Cubaney orchestra. In February, they debuted "Fatal delusion" and "Amorcito lindo".
The group participated in a farewell show for Perla Negra at the Club Social Las 3 Palmas at Bayamón. Their single "Lo Nuestro Terminó" entered the Puerto Rico Top-10 in March 1947. In April 1947, the Trio Vegabajeño released the songs "Romance del Campesino" and "Cieo"”. In May they released "No Puedo Encontrarte" and "Canoa".