Jose Luis Rodriguez (singer)

Life and career

Jose Luis Rodriguez was born in Caracas, Venezuela to Jose Antonio Rodriguez from the Canary Islands, Spain and Ana Gonzalez a Venezuelan housewife. He lost his father at the age of six, and was raised by his mother (an illiterate then, learned to read as an adult in order to read the Bible) along with 11 brothers and sisters. He grew up in very modest conditions, having to shine shoes, and pack bags in a supermarket for a living at an early age. Without an academic formation, he shaped himself as a singer and actor by empirical means.

As his mother participated in the revolt against Marcos Perez Jimenez (holding weapons and hiding politicians in her home), Rodriguez lived in exile in Ecuador with her and his brother, for a couple of years.

Rodriguez surfaced in his homeland in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and was able to build a fan base there. He also participated in a famous commercial, along with his family during that time. Rodriguez went to Puerto Rico, where he participated in the Telenovela Cristina Bazan, alongside Johanna Rosaly and young Adamari Lopez. It was whilst there that he received his nickname, El Puma. Later, he also made the telenovela, El idolo, with Cuban actress Marylin Pupo, playing Omar Contreras (a.k.a. El Puma).

Rodriguez's main money revenue, however, was his singing career. His hits included Dueno de nada, Pavo real and Agarrense de las manos. With the second, he caused controversy at the 1982 contest of Miss Universe, which was being held in Atlanta, a city in the Southern United States; the song's main issue was interracial marriage.

Later, Rodriguez participated in the Spanish version of Meet the Robinsons, La Familia del Futuro, as Wilbur Robinson's father. El Puma also starred in an advertising campaign for Wrigley's Eclipse gum, with the spot drawing on his persona, using humor and kitsch to highlight the tagline, "Libera el Puma que hay en ti" (Free the puma within).

In May 2009, Rodriguez joined the cast of the miniseries, Gabriel, produced for the Hispanic audience in the United States by Megafilms and transmitted by Mega TV. The miniseries, released in November of the same year is based on the themes of vampirism and ocultism.

In July 2012 he was a judge and voice trainer on La Voz... Argentina (Argentine version of The Voice) that was broadcast on Telefe. Along with co-presenters Fernan Martinez and Carolina Ramirez, he served as a judge on a dance programme called La Pista which was aired on Caracol TV in Colombia.

In August 2013, Rodriguez was part of the first season of La Voz Peru, where he was coach for one of the four teams. On December 20 one of his pupils, young Daniel Lazo, placed first in the competition, making Rodriguez the first winning coach in the history of La Voz Peru.

In September 2013 in an interview with the Peruvian newspaper, La Republica, Rodriguez expressed that he would continue to perform music but cease to produce records because of piracy.

Personal life

Rodriguez was married to Lila Morillo from 1966 to 1986 and is the father of actresses Lilibeth Morillo, Liliana Rodriguez. He fathered Genesis Rodriguez with Cuban born model Carolina Perez who were ultimately married in 1997 to Present. Although never legally recognized, he is believed to be the father of Juan Jose Rodriguez; a salsa singer that followed in the career footsteps of Jose Luis and goes by the nickname "El Pumita."

Select album discography

Telenovela