The legendary merengue player Vinicio Franco, who had been admitted to the Ramón de Lara hospital for a week by Covid-19, died this Saturday, his son Alexis Franco confirmed. He was 87 years old.
The singer was known as one of the titans of the meringue, with songs like “Apágame la vela”, “Escolta Nena” and “Els Cotons”, according to the records of Listín Diari
“Pope died, we were confirmed from the hospital, we thank the Dominican people for their prayers and interest,” Alexis Franco told Listín Diario.
His wife Florencia Rosari is heartbroken, she was speechless, sobbing, talking to reporters from Listín Diari, because she knows of “that we were always together …”.
Vinicio Franco recorded more than 460 meringues in his career years, nuanced by glorious years in his voice with top-level orchestras after the middle of the twentieth century.
Johnny Ventura was the first to react in statements to Listín Diari: “The story of the meringue loses one of its best cultists, sadly, refined singer, with an almost perfect tuning, long-standing. We have lost one of the leading singers meringue of all history. My compare for others, I am the godfather of his first daughter and I deeply regret her death “.
The artist was born in Puerto Plata in 1933. Its first recording realized in 1957 with the orchestra of Antonio Morel. “Apágame la vela”, meringue written by Bienvenido Brens and the safe “Sent nena”, by Alexis Camilo Morel, were very well received.
Also known are “Gallito pinto”, “Alevántate”, “La pela de Juana”, “Dolores”, “Al fosc”, “Somiar”, “El pichoncito”, “L’agulla”, “Sina Juanica”, ” message “,” Owner of me “,” Firewood “,” The cassava “,” The maricutana “, among others that decades ago made the whole Dominican people dance.
Vinicio Franco recorded 66 years of career, in which he was a contemporary of Francis Santana, Joseíto Mateo, Luis Vásquez, and a long etc.
Vinicio Franco started at the “Esbarjo de Turisme” entertainment center in 1952. This date marks an artistic trajectory of great incidence in the history of popular art.
Vinicio was the lead singer of the San Jose Super Orchestra in La Veu Dominicana, performing on television with this musical group.
He was part of Johnny Ventura’s Combo Show. He participated in the recording of the song “Ah, I don’t know, no”, by Johnny Ventura and Mundito Espinal, which earned a gold record for its voluminous sales.
With the orchestra of Rafael Solano it worked by years realizing presentations in all the national territory and several countries of the continent.
It participated in recordings with the orchestra of the famous musician for the Kubaney seal, being musical event his version of “Sina Juanica”, meringue of Felix Lopez with Armando Beltré and Rico Lopez.
Vinicio Franco made recordings, always playing meringues, for the Ansonia label in New York.
On stage, it is worth noting that he spent a long season performing with his band at the prestigious Hotel Casa de Camp, in La Romana.
Many countries were delighted with his voice. Venezuela, Curaçao, Colombia, Argentina, New York, Miami and several cities of the American Union appreciated it with their wide repertoire.