Rodrigo (musician) facts for kids

Rodrigo Alejandro Bueno (born May 24, 1973 – died June 24, 2000), known as Rodrigo or "El Potro" ("the Colt"), was a famous Argentine singer. He was best known for his cuarteto music. Many people consider him the most important and famous singer in the history of this music style.

Rodrigo was born into a musical family in Córdoba, Argentina. His mother was a songwriter. He first appeared on TV at age two. At five, he recorded an album of children's songs. When he was twelve, he joined the band Manto Negro. Later, his father helped him start a solo career in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1990, he released his first album, La Foto de tu Cuerpo. His live shows helped him become well-known in the music scene.

In 1996, Rodrigo signed with Magenta Records. His album Lo Mejor del Amor became a huge hit. It made him famous across Argentina. He won an ACE Award for Best Musical Act. His next albums, La Leyenda Continúa and Cuarteteando, were also very successful. His 1999 album A 2000 was a massive success. It led to many sold-out concerts at the Luna Park Arena. The album sold 750,000 copies.

Rodrigo performed many shows each week. On June 24, 2000, he was driving back to Buenos Aires after a concert. He was involved in a car accident and passed away. His death was a big shock in Argentina.

Early Life & Music Beginnings

Rodrigo Alejandro Bueno was born on May 24, 1973, in Córdoba, Argentina. He was the oldest of three brothers. His father, Eduardo Alberto Bueno, owned a record store. He also produced music for big companies like Columbia Records. Rodrigo's mother, Beatriz Olave, wrote songs and owned a newsstand.

Growing up, Rodrigo was greatly influenced by cuarteto music. He first appeared on TV at age two. This was on the show Fiesta del Cuarteto. He was with a family friend, Juan Carlos "La Mona" Jiménez. Jiménez later became a major musical inspiration for Rodrigo.

At age five, Rodrigo recorded his first album, Disco Baby. His father helped him with it. One song from the album was used as the theme for a children's TV show.

When he was young, Rodrigo worked as a paperboy. He delivered newspapers for his grandmother's newsstand. In 1984, he started attending concerts of the band Chébere. Sometimes, they invited him to sing on stage. The next year, he left school. He began working at his father's record shop. A friend of his father's offered Rodrigo a spot in the band Manto Negro. This is where he officially started his music career. He signed his first contract at age thirteen.

Becoming a Solo Artist & Rise to Fame

After five years with Manto Negro, Rodrigo had not found much success in Córdoba. So, his father decided to help him start a solo career in Buenos Aires. In 1990, Rodrigo released his first album, La Foto de tu Cuerpo. It was released through Polygram Records. Even though he loved cuarteto, his first album had a rock style.

In 1991, he released his next album, Aprendiendo a Vivir. He promoted it with his first show in Buenos Aires. This show was at the nightclub Fantástico Bailable. The show was a big success. It helped his record sales and made him known in the tropical music scene. He then released Completamente Enamorado, Muy Bueno, and Made in Argentina. These albums had moderate success.

In 1993, his father passed away from a heart attack. This happened right before a concert where Rodrigo was supposed to promote his new album, La Joya. Rodrigo had to perform that night. He later thought about quitting music.

After six months, he returned with Made in Córdoba. As his popularity grew in Buenos Aires, he left Polygram Records. He signed a contract with Sony Music. During his time with Sony, he recorded Sabroso. This album had salsa and merengue songs. Even with his growing fame, record executives did not believe he would become a huge star. After trying salsa and merengue, he changed his style completely to cuarteto.

In 1996, he signed with Magenta Records. This contract gave him 1% of his total record sales. His first album with them, Lo Mejor del Amor, had songs that became big radio hits. This made him nationally famous. He won an ACE Award for Best Musical Act. The next year, he released La Leyenda Continua. It was recorded live at Fantástico Bailable. This record later became certified gold. The success continued with Cuarteteando. This album included hit songs like "Ocho Cuarenta" and "Y voló, voló". Both La Leyenda Continúa and Cuarteteando sold 60,000 copies each.

Cuarteto Característico Rodrigo A 2000 Live Shows

In December 1999, Rodrigo released the album A 2000. He promoted it with four sold-out concerts. These shows were at the Astral Theater in Buenos Aires. In early 2000, Rodrigo went on a big tour. He performed 49 concerts in nine days. One show in Mar del Plata had over 100,000 people.

After the success at the Astral Theater, Rodrigo started a series of concerts. They were called Cuarteto Característico Rodrigo A 2000. These shows took place at the Luna Park Arena. The first one was on April 5, 2000.

The concerts were designed with boxing themes. Rodrigo dressed in boxing shorts. He entered the stage wearing a robe. He walked through the crowd to a stage that looked like a boxing ring. This was like a boxing match. Each show lasted about two and a half hours. He sang his own songs and classic cuarteto songs. This was a tribute to his early influence, Cuarteto Leo.

The first concert was shown on TV. The event was originally planned for eight shows. But it was so popular that it was extended to thirteen sold-out concerts. These shows earned a lot of money. The album A 2000 sold 750,000 copies. It was certified quadruple platinum.

Besides these big shows, Rodrigo also performed many other concerts. He did about twenty-five to thirty shows each week. These included nightclubs and TV appearances. On April 8, he received the keys to the city of Formosa. This was after he performed a concert there.

Because of all the hard work, Rodrigo announced his retirement on April 11, 2000. He said he would finish his planned concerts. This included a Christmas tour in the United States. His last live show was planned for the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti. It was to be released as his final album, Adiós Rodrigo. He also said he would become a record producer and move to the United States.

Death

The Accident

On June 23, 2000, Rodrigo attended a TV show taping. After the show, he went to a restaurant in Buenos Aires. He ate with his family and friends. One friend, Fernando Olmedo, had never seen Rodrigo perform. So, Rodrigo invited him to a show that night. The concert was at the club Escándalo in La Plata. Rodrigo performed for two and a half hours. After the show, he was asked to stay and rest. But Rodrigo wanted to drive home.

In the early hours of June 24, Rodrigo was driving back to Buenos Aires. He was in his SUV with his ex-wife, Patricia Pacheco, and his son, Ramiro. Fernando Olmedo and two other people were also with them. After stopping at a toll booth, another vehicle blocked Rodrigo's path. Rodrigo tried to pass it. He lost control of his SUV and crashed into a highway barrier.

The SUV rolled over. Rodrigo and Olmedo were not wearing seat belts. They were thrown from the car. Rodrigo passed away at the scene. Olmedo passed away later at the hospital. The other people in the car were not seriously hurt.

Rodrigo's body was taken to Lanús. He was supposed to perform there that night. His funeral was also held there. About 20,000 fans came to pay their respects. Police were there to manage the crowd. Rodrigo became part of the 27 Club. This is a group of famous singers who passed away at the same age.

Legacy

Rodrigo helped spread cuarteto music. This style was originally from the Córdoba Province. He made it popular across the whole country. Soon after his passing, fans built a memorial for him. It is on the highway where the accident happened. It includes a statue as a tribute. About 15,000 fans gathered there on the first anniversary of his passing in 2001.

One year after his passing, Sony Records released the album Todos Juntos con Rodrigo. It included his original songs with new vocals from other singers. It quickly became gold in Argentina. In the same year, he received two Carlos Gardel Awards. He won Best Male Tropical Performer for A 2000. He also won Song of the Year for "Soy Cordobés".

In 1999, Rodrigo introduced another cuarteto singer, Walter Olmos. Olmos performed in several of Rodrigo's concerts. After Rodrigo's passing, Olmos was seen as his musical successor.

Rodrigo, La Película (Rodrigo, The Movie) was released on April 12, 2001. It opened in many Argentine theaters. The movie showed a love story. It was about a teenage girl who admired the singer. The film included real concert footage and songs. However, it was not as successful as expected. Some people thought it tried to make money from Rodrigo's memory.

Rodrigo was a big fan of the Club Atlético Belgrano football team. He is still an important figure for the club's fans. In 2011, a group of fans visited his mausoleum. The team's jersey showed his face as a tribute in the 2002–03 season. In 2012, the club decided to build a bronze statue of Rodrigo. It was placed in the Gigante de Alberdi Stadium.

In 2010, on the tenth anniversary of his passing, he was declared a notable personality of popular culture. This was by the Buenos Aires Chamber of Deputies. Rodrigo was also honored on Argentine television shows.

A tribute concert was held on January 16, 2013. This was during the first Cuarteto Carnival. A statue of Rodrigo was also unveiled. It was placed on the Buen Pastor esplanade. In 2014, another statue was put up. This was to remember the fourteenth anniversary of his passing. It was placed in front of the Fantastico Bailable disco.

In January 2015, a new Rodrigo statue was unveiled. It is at the entrance of El Corralón restaurant. The statue shows the singer in the boxer outfit he wore at his Luna Park shows.

In October 2018, a movie about Rodrigo was released. It was called El Potro. Lo mejor del amor. Rodrigo's son, Ramiro, gave the rights for the movie. He also helped write the script. However, some family members did not like the movie. They felt it did not tell his story accurately.

Music Style and Image

Rodrigo's band was a typical cuarteto band. It had fourteen musicians. Percussion instruments were very important. There was a main drummer and other percussion. They also had an accordion and an electric organ. The band also had a male quartet for backup vocals.

Rodrigo was known for his "raspy and strong" voice. He had very energetic performances on stage. He quickly became a success in Argentina. His look was different from other tropical music bands. They often wore bright colors and had long, curly hair. Rodrigo had short hair. He often dyed it blue, turquoise, red, or violet. He wore fitted shirts with jeans and cowboy boots. He was known for his facial expressions and poses.

Rodrigo was very involved in his shows. He produced his own records. He wrote his own songs. He also designed the visuals for his shows. This included the stage look and posters.

Personal Life

Rodrigo was married two times. He had two children. In 1992, he married Mariana Marcone. They had a daughter the next year. This marriage lasted only a few months. His son, Ramiro, was born in 1997. This was during his second marriage to Patricia Pacheco. Rodrigo's cousin, Juan Carlos Olave, is a professional football player.

Discography

Music Videos