Birth name Andres Montanez Role Singer Name Andy Montanez | Years active 1962–present | |
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Also known as El Godfather de la SalsaEl Nino De Trastalleres Born May 7, 1942 (age 81) ( 1942-05-07 ) Associated acts El Gran Combo de Puerto RicoDimension LatinaIsmael Miranda Music groups El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico (1962 – 1977), Dimension Latina (1977 – 1980), Fania All-Stars Awards Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album Albums El Eterno Enamorado, Salsaton: Salsa Con Reggaeton, Oro salsero, Romanticos de Nuevo, Salsa con cache Profiles | ||
Voltio, Andy Montañez - En Mi Puertorro
Te Voy A Enseñar, Andy Montañez - Vídeo Oficial
Andrés Montañez (born May 7, 1942), better known as Andy Montañez, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter.
Contents
Early life
Montañez is a native of the Tras Talleres area of Santurce, San Juan. He is known by the nicknames "El Godfather de la Salsa" and "El Niño De Trastalleres". He is the first born out of 17 children.
Musical career
Montañez first gained fame as a member of the internationally successful El Gran Combo group, with songs like "Hojas blancas" (White Leaves), "Un verano en N.Y." (A Summer in NY), "El barbero loco" (The Crazy Barber), "Julia", "Ponme el alcolado, Juana" (Rub Me With Alcohol), "Vagabundo" (Bum), "El Swing", etc. He stayed for approximately 15 years, producing 37 LPs. He left El Gran Combo to pursue a career with Venezuelan group La Dimension Latina creating a feud between the two groups. After leaving El Gran Combo, he enjoyed considerable success on an international scale with his own orchestra, touring Latin America and the United States several times. He represented Puerto Rico at the 1992 World's Fair in Seville, Spain.
Recent years
In recent years he had teamed up with fellow salsa singer Ismael Miranda to produce some boleros and bohemian music. By 2005-06 he began creating a new blend between salsa and reggaeton, called salsaton, along with rappers like Daddy Yankee and Julio Voltio. In 2007 he filmed various television advertisements on nutrition for the Puerto Rico Department of Family Affairs (including one in which he sang a rhumba to a dancing carrot).
On November 2, 2006, Montañez won his first Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album, together with Pablo Milanés. Montañez was selected to form part of a benefit concert titled “Somos Haití”., where funds would be gathered to support Haiti after the 2008 hurricane season.
In 2015, Montañez appeared on Puerto Rican singer Ivy Queen's ninth studio album Vendetta. The album was split into four separate albums, one being an album composed entirely of only salsa music. On the album, Montañez dueted with Queen on a rerecording of his 1988 hit, "Casi Te Envidio".
Personal life
Two of Montañez's sons, Andy Jr. and Harold, have also gone on to become salsa singers and occasionally serve as back-up vocalists in his concerts.
El Gran Combo (1962–1976)
La Dimensión Latina (1977–1980)
Y Su Orquesta (1980–present)
Songs
Casi Te EnvidioEl Eterno Enamorado · 1988
Pillo buena gente
Milonga para una niñaSalsa Con Caché · 1980