Jerry Rivera

Name: Gerardo Rivera Rodríguez
Date of birth: 31 July 1973
Place of birth: Santurce, Puerto Rico

Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award nominated Puerto Rican salsa singer. One of the most popular “salseros” in the early ‘90s.

Rivera was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He completed his primary and secondary education in San Juan. In his family numerous talented musicians can be found, like Edwin Rivera (guitarist and director of Los Barones Trio) and younger sister Saned. His brothers are also professional instrumental musicians.

At the age of 13 he accompanied his father performing at a hotel in Isla Verde, San Juan. He had the opportunity to sing together with Frankie Ruiz, which had a lifelong effect on Rivera’s career. In remembrance and dedication to his idol he made the album: “Canto a mi Idolo… Frankie Ruiz” (I sing to my Idol… Frankie Ruiz).

Rivera started his solo career at the age of 14. His first album “Abriendo puertas” contained three hits "Esa niña", "Dime" y "Como un milagro", which propelled him to the first place of the Puerto Rican lists and made him international success in the United States and Latin America.

In 2007, he released the album Caribe Gardel, a tribute to the Argentinian legend of tango, Carlos Gardel. It contained bachata, danzón, cha-cha-cha and boleros and Gardel's Cuesta Abajo (Downhill), which was one the major salsa hits of the year.

Discography:
1989    Empezando a vivir (released in 1993)
1990    Abriendo puertas
1992    Cuenta Conmigo
1993    Cara de niño
1994    Lo nuevo y lo mejor
1995    Magia
1996    Fresco
1997    Ya no soy el niño aquel
1998    De otra manera
2000    Para siempre
2001    Historia 1
2001    Rivera
2001    No me olvidarás: 20 grandes éxitos
2002    Vuela muy alto
2003    Canto a mi ídilo… Frankie Ruiz
2005    Ay, mi vida
2007    Caribe Gardel
2008    20 Exitos Originales
2008    Amores Como el Nuestro: Los Exitos


by Zsuzsa Melkvi
---
About the Author: Zsuzsa Melkvi is a salsa dancer and teacher, having competed in Latin-American and Standard dances from 1995-1998. She is also the founder of Baila Cuba (www.bailacuba.hu), a Dance company focused on giving exclusively pure Afro-Cuban workshops in Hungary. Zsuzsa holds a BA degree in Economics from the University of Hertfordshire.