Bobby Capó facts for kids

Félix Manuel "Bobby" Rodríguez Capó (born January 1, 1922 – died December 18, 1989) was a famous singer and songwriter from Puerto Rico. He was known for mixing different music styles. He often combined slow, romantic songs called ballads with classical music. He also used traditional Puerto Rican folk music and even music from Andalusia in Spain. This helped him create many popular Latin songs with dramatic and detailed lyrics.

Early Life and Moving to New York

Bobby Capó was born Félix Manuel Rodríguez Capó in a place called Pedro García in Coamo, Puerto Rico. His father, Celso Quiterio Rodríguez Rivera, was a salesman. His mother, Arsenia Capó Canevaro, was a housekeeper. He chose to use "Bobby" as his first name. Since "Rodríguez" is a very common last name in Hispanic cultures, he decided to use his mother's last name, "Capó," which was less common.

In the early 1940s, Bobby moved to New York City. He started his music career there. First, he joined a group called the Cuarteto Victoria. He took the place of another singer, Pedro Ortiz Dávila, also known as "Davilita". Later, he became part of Xavier Cugat's orchestra, which was very famous.

A Talented Songwriter and TV Star

Besides being a singer, Bobby Capó did many other things. He was a television host, which means he presented TV shows. He also worked as a technical and musical director. Most importantly, he wrote many, many songs for other singers.

Many of the songs he wrote became big hits in Puerto Rico. Some even became popular in other parts of Latin America. One of his well-known songs was "El Negro Bembón". This song was a hit for Cortijo y su Combo in the mid-1950s. The song was later changed a bit and became "El Gitano Antón". This version was a huge hit in Spain for the singer Peret in the mid-1960s. Bobby Capó also wrote all the music and songs for a movie called MARUJA. This movie was filmed in Puerto Rico in the late 1950s.

His Most Famous Songs

Bobby Capó wrote many songs that are still loved today.

• "Sin Fe" ("Without Faith"), sometimes called "Poquita Fe" ("Little Faith"), became very popular in Puerto Rico. Felipe Rodríguez recorded it in the mid-1950s. Later, José Feliciano made it a huge international hit in the mid-1960s.
• "Soñando con Puerto Rico" (Dreaming of Puerto Rico) is another special song. Bobby wrote it because he missed Puerto Rico. Many Puerto Ricans living away from home see this song as an anthem.
• "De Las Montañas Venimos" is a popular Christmas song in Puerto Rico. People sing it every holiday season.

His most famous song is "Piel Canela". The title means "Cinnamon Skin". He even wrote and recorded an English version called "You, Too". He recorded this song in Havana with the band Sonora Matancera. A famous singer named Josephine Baker also recorded a version of "Piel Canela" in French. This song was so popular that it became the main theme for a Mexican movie with the same name in the late 1950s.

Another song, "Luna de Miel en Puerto Rico" ("Puerto Rican Honeymoon"), was a popular chachachá song. It was also the theme song for a movie. This movie was made by both Mexican and Puerto Rican filmmakers in the early 1960s.

Personal Life

In 1944, Bobby Capó married Mercedes Ramos. After they divorced, he married Irma Nydia Vázquez in 1948. Irma Nydia Vázquez was special because she was the first Miss Puerto Rico to compete in the Miss America pageant. Her family was very wealthy and did not approve of their marriage. This situation inspired Bobby to write a song called "El Bardo" ("The Bard"). This song became a big hit for Felipe Rodríguez in the early 1950s. Many other artists have also sung this song.

Bobby Capó had six children. Their names are Félix Manuel Rodríguez (who became a musician known as Bobby Capó Jr. and is the father of Pedro Capó), Irma "Mimi" Rodríguez López, Soraya Rodríguez, Waldo Rodríguez, Jacqueline Rodríguez (who is also a singer), and Zahera Rodríguez.

Later Years and Passing

In the early 1970s, Bobby Capó worked for the Puerto Rican government. He was an Ambassador at the Puerto Rican Consulate Embassy in New York City. Later, he worked for the Department of Labor's Division of Migration.

Bobby Capó passed away on December 18, 1989, in his New York City home. He was 67 years old and died from a heart attack. This was just a few weeks before his 68th birthday. He was buried in the Coamo Municipal Cemetery in Coamo, Puerto Rico.

See also

In Spanish: Bobby Capó para niños

Puerto Rican Songwriters