Saturday, June 1, 2013

Palito Ortega

Palito Ortega was a non-entity in Brazil although he was Number One in Argentina and other South American countries from 1963 onwards. Palito was an institution in Argentina due to the enormous popularity of rock TV show 'El Club del Clan' beamed on Channel 13 every Saturday night - 8:30 PM - starting 10 November 1962. Later on, this would inspire Brazilian TV Record, Channel 7 to lauch its own 'Jovem Guarda' in August 1965.

The first time I heard of Palito Ortega was through Orlando Alvarado's cover of Palito Ortega's 'Bienvenido amor' that climbed up the Brazilian charts in late 1964. Soon after RCA Victor released a Palito Ortega quasi-compilation album and I heard 'Vestida de novia' played on some radio show and fell in love with the song.

Palito recorded an album at RCA studios in Rio de Janeiro circa 1965, at the top of his popularity elsewhere but a complete unknonw (not like a rolling stone...) in Brazil. Palito had fun in being unexpectedly incognito in a Latin American country.

Even though Palito never made it as an enterntainer he had many of his songs translated into Portuguese covered by singer-Radio DJ Barros de Alencar; 'Prometemos não chorar' (Prometimos no llorar) was a medium-sized hit for Barros in 1975.  


Palito was King in Argentina & other Latin American countries. 
Palito in Rio in 1965; Palito Ortega and Libertad Lamarque in 1972's 'La sonrísa de mama' an Argentine production. 

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