“I am aware that I am a rooster for history,” he assured in October 2019 a the spokesman the singer Tito Rojas, the remains of the will be exhibited at the Coliseum Marcelo Trujillo Panisse, in his hometown Humacao, possibly from tomorrow until Wednesday.
Julio César Rojas López, his first name, died suddenly on December 26, at the age of 65, at the residence of some cousins in this municipality.
Rojas’ body was to be picked up yesterday afternoon by the funeral home of the Institute of Forensic Sciences. The time of the vigil will be determined today, in a meeting that the municipality will hold in the morning with the family of the so-called Salsero Rooster.
“The wake will be open to the public, due to the physical distancing and restrictions of the Covid-19. The public will come and go, you can’t stay (at the coliseum). So far we’ve talked about this, we’ll see if that’s what you want the family, “said Daphne D. Flors, communications adviser to Humacaeño Mayor Luis Raúl Sánchez Hernández, who decreed five days of mourning that will conclude this Wednesday.
On the other hand, according to his promoter and friend for almost three decades, Angel Ilarraza, Tito was a heart patient and his brother died of this health condition.
“He was seeing his mother in the Texas neighborhood. On the same street where the cousins live, he went to their house, he started to feel bad and when he went out on the balcony he collapsed,” he told the spokesman.
It is worth mentioning that on December 24, Tito premiered on his YouTube channel the Christmas special Canta Gall, canta per Nadal, performing songs from his 20-year-old album entitled Canta Gallo, canta.
About its beginnings
The artist had a 48-year artistic career and, as Ilarraza recalls, began his career in music at the age of 17.
“He started with Pedro Conga and the International Orchestra, with which he recorded his first album. Then he was with Justo Betancourt and El Conjunto Borincuba. When Just goes to New York, Tito stays with the band and formed From there he moved to Port Rican Power and then as a soloist with Musical Production – as between 1991 and 1992 – until 2008 when he became independent, which formed his label TR Records, “he said. the promoter.
The most recent track recorded by Rojas was The Tun Tun Pass, alongside the Billo’s Caracas Boys, which did not get heard on Puerto Rico’s radio waves. Prior to this he did In the middle street, with Gilberto Santa Rosa for his album, entitled Colleagues.
In his words
In August 2015, Tito spoke with the spokesman on his artistic and musical evolution, which he attributed to his tenacity in the good and the bad.
“This has been my total evolution, to be persevering in this race, not to give up, not to give my arm a twist and unconditionally to keep working,” he said.
He also stated that he would not change anything in his life or career because “I wanted this and it touched me. I have to accept things as they are, sometimes one tries to change or if I change I am not the rooster and this m “It’s kept me strong. I feel more mature musically, even though I’m getting older, which is natural because I’m 60.”
Four years later, in October 2019, he responded to this newspaper as he wanted to be recognized in the history of salsa, as he had just released the record production A Rooster for History (nominated for the Latin Grammy 2020 ).
“I can’t find them at all, you have to ask people, idols, Marc Anthony, in India and they’ll tell you, ‘The Rooster is the Rooster.’ To make a title like that you have to have pants, no one can to make a title like that. I am aware that I am a rooster for history, “he said with his characteristic humor.
Rojas is survived by his wife Ivelisse Escobar, his daughters Jessica and Kisha, and his grandchildren Briana, Julián and Amanda.