Oscar D'León facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oscar D'León
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D'León in 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Óscar Emilio León Simosa |
| Born | July 11, 1943 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Genres | Salsa |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass |
| Labels | Top Hits |
Óscar Emilio León Simosa (born July 11, 1943), known as Oscar D'León, is a famous Venezuelan musician. People often call him The Pharaoh of Salsa, The Lion of Salsa, or the World's Sonero. He is best known for his lively salsa music. Oscar D'León wrote the popular song "Llorarás" in 1974 with his band, Dimensión Latina. He also helps Operation Smile, a charity that provides free surgeries for children.
Early Life
Oscar D'León grew up in Caracas, Venezuela. From a young age, he loved music, especially percussion. He would often make bass sounds with his voice and tap rhythms on anything around him. This sometimes got him into trouble at school!
He taught himself to play the upright bass. For a while, he worked different jobs like a car mechanic or taxi driver during the day. At night, he played bass in local bands called 'conjuntos'. These were small music groups, often from Cuba, that played folk songs with bass, guitar, and drums.
Oscar became known as a great bass player and a fun performer. He could even make up whole songs on the spot! He was also famous for dancing with his big double bass while singing. He formed his own groups like La Golden Star and Los Psicodélicos. In 1972, he started Dimensión Latina with some friends.
A few years later, in 1976, Oscar left Dimensión Latina to create a new band called La Salsa Mayor. With this group, he recorded a popular version of "Juanita Morell," which was a big hit in Puerto Rico. In 1978, he formed another band, La Crítica, to honor old Cuban music legends. For a time, he sang with both orchestras, which kept him very busy!
Music Career
In the 1980s, Oscar D'León became a huge star in salsa music. He was known all over the Caribbean. In 1982, he visited Cuba, which was a very important event there. His classic style of music became super popular with Cubans of all ages.
Oscar eventually stopped playing his double bass on stage. It was hard to travel with it, and sometimes it would get damaged during flights. He also started shaving his head, but he always kept his famous mustache!
Oscar D'León became very well-known through his successful tours across America and Spain. He was the first Latino artist to sign a contract with the BBC in the United Kingdom.
Awards and Honors
Oscar D'León has received many awards for his music. He was named the Best Salsa Artist at the 2014 Pepsi Venezuela Music Awards.
On July 7, 2015, he received a special honorary degree (called a Honoris Causa PhD) from a university in Venezuela. They gave him this award because of his amazing dedication and hard work in music. They said he had become a true "artistic treasure" for Venezuela.
Discography
Oscar D'León has released many albums throughout his career. Here are a few:
- Dimensión Latina '75 (1974)
- Dimensión Latina '76 Salsa Brava (1975)
- Con Bajo y Todo (1976)
- El "Oscar" de la Salsa (1977)
- Así soy (2004)
- Clásicos de Big Band (2014)
He also contributed to the album The Rough Guide to Salsa (1997).
