José Antonio Torresola Ruiz, better known as Frankie Ruiz (March 10, 1958 – August 9, 1998), was a Puerto Rican singer. He was a major figure in the salsa romántica subgenre that was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s.
During his youth, he developed a passion for percussion, later confessing that this would have been his second choice after singing. Fan reaction to his work was diverse. Within the Latino community, he was regarded as "one of the best salseros ever", and Puerto Ricans abroad were particularly fond of it because it brought back memories of their homeland. Among non-Latinos, some admitted that his music had been responsible for their interest in salsa as a genre and even the Spanish language.
As salsa moved closer to pop music, and toned down the eroticism in its lyrics during the 1990s, Ruiz was challenged, along with other salsa romántica performers, but he managed to record a number of hits during his late career. He suffered from years of drug and alcohol abuse. His personal shortcomings were exploited by the tabloid media but had little impact on his popularity. In 1998, Ruiz died due to complications from liver disease.
Early life Frankie Ruiz was born in Paterson, New Jersey to Frank Torresola and Hilda Ruiz, a Puerto Rican couple who had moved to the city. After being born, he was initially adopted by his grandmother, Concepción, as his mother was 15 years old. Afterwards his custody passed to his parents and he was raised in Union City, along his brothers Viti and Juanito. He received his primary and secondary school education in Paterson, where his father served as education commissioner.
At the age of 5, Ruiz played percussion instruments at the Roberto Clemente Park in Trenton and at other city venues. One of these performances earned him an award at a show held at the Majestic Theater in Paterson. During the following years, he continued performing with the support of his parents, meeting artists like Tito Puente in the process. Despite this, Ruiz was not enrolled in formal singing classes and mostly depended on practice. During this time, he developed a friendship with Joe Salvador, through which he met Rosemary Salvador, whose family sponsored his performances and those of his brothers. Both joined a local music group led by Charlie López, known as Orquesta Nueva (otherwise known as The Charlie López Orquesta), as vocalist and bass player, and started performing salsa at talent shows. He recorded his first song "Salsa Buena" with this band, which was followed by "Borinquen".
Musical career Beginnings as a vocalist After their parents divorced, Hilda Torresola relocated to Mayagüez, Puerto Rico with the siblings. There they settled at Barrio Balboa to live with his grandmother, and other family members. By his early teens, Ruiz had begun performing at nightclubs. He became interested in a salsa band called La Solución, directed by Roberto Rivera, which he was able to join after multiple attempts. With this band, Ruiz re-recorded a new version of "Salsa Buena". As he became its lead singer and recorded the hit single titled "La Rueda" ("The Wheel"), the band was renamed Frankie Ruiz y La Solución and he toured with it for three years. Ruiz became an alcoholic and drug user following the death of his mother in a car accident, an aspect of his personal life that was emphasized by the media.
Ruiz continued performing with other bands including La Dictadora and La Moderna Vibración. In 1982, Ruiz joined Tommy Olivencia and his Primerisima Orquesta, replacing Gilberto Santa Rosa as vocalist. He recorded the hit singles "Fantasía de un capintero" and "Como lo hacen", which were followed by "Lo Dudo", "Primero Fui Yo", Como Una Estrella", and "Que Se Mueran de Envidia". In total, Ruiz participated in the recording of three albums with Olivencia: Un triángulo de triunfo, Tommy Olivencia and Celebrando otro aniversario. As his career centered around music studios, Ruiz moved to Florida with Judith Ruiz and their son Frankie Ruiz, Jr. (born in 1984), whom he encouraged to become a musician by collaborating in hip hop songs. Despite this, he had little communication with his first-born daughter, Yaritza.
Soloist debut and chart success
Ruiz's first album as a soloist, Solista pero no Solo, was produced by TH-Rodven Records and directed by Willie Sotello in 1985. Led by the singles "Tú Con Él" and "La Cura", the record became the number-one Billboard Tropical Album. While Ruiz was involved in an international tour, the album reached the top spot on this list twice more, alternating with Hansel y Raúl. With singles "Esta cobardía", "Como le gustan a usted", "El camionero", "Cosas Nativas", and "Ahora me toca a mí" meeting lesser success, Solista pero no Solo ended 1986 as the best-selling Tropical/Salsa album of the year in the United States. During the tour that followed, Ruiz performed in unconventional locales including a soccer stadium (in Colombia) and a bullring in Tenerife, Spain. During this period, Tite Curet Alonso, who at the request of Richie Viera, the composer wrote a song for Viti based on the life of the brothers titled "Todo se Queda en Familia".
Following the performance of this production, Ruiz became one of several soloists who popularized the subgenre known as salsa romántica, including Eddie Santiago, Lalo Rodríguez, Tony Vega, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Tito Nieves. The success of this group led to a general resurgence of salsa which had been struggling before the expansion of merengue music in the tropical categories. His second album, Voy Pa' Encima, was released in 1987 and performed well in Puerto Rico, Spain and the United States. Led by singles "Desnúdate Mujer" and "Mujeres", the album sold over 300,000 copies and earned Ruiz the Latin Artist of the Year Billboard Music Award. The former peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. Like its predecessor, it would reach the top of the Billboard list three times, this time alternating with Eddie Santiago's Atrevido y Diferente. A compilation album titled Historia Musical de Frankie Ruiz also reached the top of the Billboard list. His third album, En vivo... y a todo color, was released a year later and managed to sell over 200,000 copies despite Ruiz's career being affected by his addictions.
Hiatus and return In 1989, Ruiz was involved in an altercation with a flight attendant for which he was sentenced to three years at a federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida. Parallel to this, recording label Rodven records released a new album, Más Grande Que Nunca, which contained the hit "Deseándote". The album achieved platinum sales status and which were used to sustain his family. While in jail, Ruiz underwent a detoxification process. He was allowed a temporary return to Puerto Rico, where he did some recording with Vinny Urrutia.
His contract with TH-Rodven expired during his sentence, but it was extended due to pre-established obligations, which led to the schedule of two albums before he was released. Approaching his release, Ruiz began promoting a purported lifestyle change and worked on the release of "Mi Libertad" (My Freedom). The album had 50,000 pre-sale orders. Two songs from the album, the title track and "Bailando", peaked at number ten on the Hot Latin Songs chart. "Bailando" was nominated in the category of Tropical Song of the Year at the 1993 Lo Nuestro Awards. The album was certified platinum after selling over 100,000 copies. During this timeframe he outsold Sergio Vargas, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Xavier, Juan Luis Guerra, Jerry Rivera, and Rey Ruiz.
His collaboration with Urrutia led to a series of singles including "Hablame", "Amor a medias", "Soy culpable", "Obsesión", "Sueño dormido", "Tiene que saber que es ella", "Soledad", and "Nos sorprendio el amanecer", which would serve as the basis for Ruiz's next album, Puerto Rico Soy Tuyo, released in 1993. During the following year, Ruiz was involved in a South American tour and events held in the tri-state area. In December 1994, Ruiz released Mirandoté, with the eponymous single becoming his first to become the number one song on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart. Between 1995 and 1996, Rodven released a compilation of themes named Oro Salsero, which was divided into two albums and was accompanied by presentations in the tri-state area. Following the death of his brother, Juan Félix Ruiz, his addictions were exacerbated and begun affecting his general health.
His final album Tranquilo was recorded in a studio in Santurce, Puerto Rico and was released in 1996. Its lead single, "Ironía", became another number one song on the Tropical Songs chart and ended the year as the best-performing Tropical/Salsa song. For this achievement, the song won the award for "Tropical/Salsa Hot Latin Track of the Year" at the 1997 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Illness and death Diagnosis and hospitalizations In 1996, Ruiz's liver began to fail leading to a hospitalization and a temporary coma, during which his vocal cords were damaged when an intubation process was undertaken. Initially Ruiz was unable to speak and was worried about his career. The later stages of his career were affected by a rocky relationship with his son, and an unstable singing career. Shortly afterwards, his relationship with Judith Ruiz ended, and he moved from Florida and settled in New Jersey. There he reunited with Joe Salvador and offered him a job as his agent and began a relationship with Rosemary Salvador. Their relationship was not well received by her religious family, who tried to enroll him in rehabilitation centers, and the couple relocated.
In January 1997, Ruiz's health continued to decline as a result of his lifestyle, leading to the development of cirrhosis and hepatitis, which resulted in three hospitalizations that lasted for months and extended throughout August. The worst of these bouts resulted in a temporary coma, where he was placed on a respirator, his case considered virtually hopeless by the staff at University Hospital. Knowing the severity of his health, Ruiz developed an interest in religion, initially becoming involved with Santería and adapting his clothing and furbishing his house with figures of orishas.
Ruiz attended the Billboard Latin Music Conference that started on April 28, 1997, at the InterContinental Miami, where he received a recognition. Despite the hiatus, his popularity remained and Ruiz began working towards a comeback in November 1997. On November 8, 1997, he made a return appearance at the Tropicana club in North Bergen, New Jersey. The announcement of his performance drew a sizable crowd. Now possessing a rougher voice, Ruiz began a tour of clubs that continued in the Bronx.
Ruiz eventually grew tired of dietary restrictions and protocols and at the insistence of Salvador, became a born again Christian. As before, he opted to adapt his lifestyle to reflect this change in religious affiliation. Ruiz remained unaffiliated with any particular church, and avoided congregations, but reflected his new faith in these activities. A decision to become sober was met with a period of withdrawal that affected his mental health but subsided, leading to an improvement in his hepatic condition. During this timeframe, Ruiz only made select appearances. He began a career in religious music, a decision revealed to the public during the winter when he began wearing a large gold cross and preaching during several appearances.
Recording "Vuelvo a Nacer"