The last musical production that came out to the public of ‘Poncho’ Zuleta, the ‘Pulmón de Oro’ with the king of kings ‘Cocha’ Molina, ‘Parao en la raya’ continues to confirm that he is the singer of all times in the classic vallenato , in the costumbrista vallenato, in the modern vallenato. That is to say, his songs are hummed by those of his time, the intermediates and the youth of today, hence the thousands of his followers ask that this vallenato that flutters to never die does not disappear from Colombian folklore.
With the latest production, the Raizal vallenato does not disappear for now, on the contrary, it is strengthened in its roots and in its melodies. As one of his best friends ‘Nandito’ Molina Araújo expressed it on February 1st in his apartment, where we shared a good musical gathering “he has cultivated his age. He is imperishable, perennial and eternal in time. He is the last giant we have left. And as José Molina puts it, “Zuleta is unique, like good yucca it never goes out of style.”
DECADES OF GLORY VALLENATA
How good for vallenato, that ‘Poncho’ Zuleta still endures!, who at 74 years old is the tenor of our vernacular music. Without underestimating so many artists of our folklore, Tomás Alfonso Zuleta Díaz, is the Beethoven of immortal song, he is the traveling troubadour who with his melodies has made folklore great and of course Vallenato music, that immortalized by Luis Enrique Martínez, Alejo the great one, ‘old Mile’, his father and his uncle ‘Toño’ Salas who never die and of course his cousin, the always immortal Diomedes Díaz, ‘El cacique de La Junta’, the one who gave all the greatness to the singing music and accordion.
‘Poncho’ Zuleta to stay well planted for singing and for life, one of his secrets is that he eats healthy food without any contamination, that is, organic in every sense of the word.
HIS LATEST PRODUCTION
With ‘Parao en la raya’ Zuleta has shown all his followers that he continues with the same verve with which he recorded in 1967, with the ever-remembered Nicolás Elías Mendoza, ‘Vallenatología’ and that later in 1971 he recorded with his brother and compadre ‘Emilianito’, his first LP ‘Mis preferidas’. Then they forever sealed the brand ‘The Zuleta brothers, Poncho and Emilianito’.
After recording 5 LPs they separated and ‘Poncho’ recorded with the second king of vallenato and the first king of kings of the Festival ‘Colacho’ Mendoza, ‘El despertar de un acordeón’ which is found in the annals of music as another production that never dies
REUNION
On October 27, 1975, the brothers reappeared with ‘El reencuentro’, and thus Zuleta, in his long history of gold scrolls, has left a trail of recordings that make him worthy of being the king of heavyweights in Vallenato music. ‘Cocha’ Molina has been with the second king of kings of the Vallenato Festival for more than 21 years, with the same desire, with the same authenticity, with the same musical touch and glorifying our vernacular music. There is Zuleta for times!
What better tribute can I do to my dear cousin ‘Poncho’ Zuleta, than to honor him with these lyrics. The golden lung, the singer of all times, the distinguished partygoer, the great villanuevero Tomás Alfonso Zuleta Díaz.
They come to our memories, great memories. One day the first LP by the Zuleta Brothers ‘Mis preferidas’ sounded on the radio more than fifty-four years ago, where songs such as ‘La nuisance’, ‘La negra de Felipe’, ‘La estrella’, ‘Pobre I am’, ‘El delirio’, ‘La rutina’, all of them good multiplied in dance halls and canteens, their melodic and rhythmic waves also reached social clubs. Already ‘Poncho’ Zuleta, still a rookie, had recorded on Philips discs with ‘Colacho’ on the LP ‘Vallenatología’, four songs among which stood out ‘Los amores de Carmen Díaz’ and ‘La Diosa Coronada’.
They all opened a gap of joy. They were like rain of dew on the souls in love with happy people.
AND IT WAS EXTENDED TO OTHER REGIONS
Later, other anthological musical productions that we highlight continued to flow into the country from Cachaco and the coast: ‘My sentimental song’, ‘El reencuentro’, ‘Los ídolos’, ‘Río credo’, ‘Río seco’, ‘Los maestros’, ‘Vallenato noble ‘, ‘Dynasty and folklore’ ‘039’, ‘The legendary condor’, ‘Pa’ all life’, ‘The blood calls’, ‘One hundred days of bohemia’, ‘Forever’, and many more, which were identified among themselves for the same line of inspiration, for the same color and the same affectionate intention or social criticism. They were broadcast by radio stations, hummed in public establishments, whistled by passers-by, performed by orchestras in the most exclusive centers, and in less than a rooster crows the music of the Zuleta Brothers ended up being integrated, with their joyful ease. and the smooth geometry of its times and compasses, to the varied musical repertoire of our people.
A WHOLE MUSICAL LIFE
In more than fifty years of artistic life, ‘Poncho’ Zuleta, first with his brother ‘Emilianito’ and lately with the king of kings Gonzalo El ‘cocha’ Molina has consolidated and remained at the top of our folk music. Who does not remember those immortal songs, interpreted by them, that always feel in the distance: ‘La celosa’, ‘El viejo Miguel’, ‘Tiempos idos’, ‘Río Badillo’, ‘My brother and I’, ‘Luna sanjuanera’ , ‘Land of singers’, ‘La cita’, ‘La casa’, ‘Tanto que te te canto’, ‘Land of singers’, ‘Marilí’, ‘Qué mujer’, ‘Soy parrandero y qué’, ‘El cantante’ , ‘La sangre llama’ and hundreds of hits follow that the list is endless. Why else! They, ‘Poncho’ and ‘Emilianito’ they became the pure essence of vallenato and friendship.
In addition to having planted the flag of his autochthonous music in all parts of the country, ‘Poncho’ Zuleta has been one of the creators of a popular lyric that surprises with its discoveries, its precision, its graphicity. For this singular lyric, there are no noble voices and commoner voices, rich words and poor words; in the society of his lexicon, a regime of euphonious classes and categories does not prevail. The words are all equal in their value and efficiency, and all, or almost all, are irreplaceable in the harmonious organization that has been each of the songs in which it is expressed and eternalized. Glory to God for having given us Tomás Alfonso, ‘Poncho’ Zuleta Díaz, as one of the pioneers of our vernacular music. And with plenty of merits for the singer of all times.
BY HERNÁN BAQUERO BRACHO/ SPECIAL FOR EL PILÓN