With a documentary due out soon on this tragic Puerto Rican salsa sonero and songwriter, we should honor him on his date of birth. Chamaco Ramirez is most famous for singing with Tommy Olivencia, but his Alive & Kicking album is a (formerly) lost classic.
From Santurce, Puerto Rico, he joined the Olivencia band as a teenager, sharing lead vocals with Paquito Guzmán. He wrote "Plante Bandera" (which later became a reggaeton hit), "Trucutu" (covered by Marc Anthony) and "Evelio Y La Rumba".
He also sang with Kako and the Alegre All-Stars, among others, before his '79 classic...which turned out to be his only album as a leader. He was shot to death in a Bronx alley at 41.
Was the documentary ever released? I’ve recently re-discovered “la escuelita” and Chamaco’s my favorite sonero by far. Would love to know more about this insanely talented singer.
As kid growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan i would always hear salsa coming out of puerto rican tenements apartments in the summer time, one song that i will always remember was the song of Chamaco Ramirez-“yo se que no te gusto que yo plante bandera”- Chamaco Ramirez will always be remembered in our hearts and minds as one of the greatest salseros in the world-R.I.P & God Bless You.. Yours Truly “LEC” L.E.S **