Toño Rosario facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Toño Rosario
Rosario signing a deal with Universal Music (2004)
Background information
Birth name	Máximo Antonio del Rosario Almonte
Born	(1955-11-03) November 3, 1955 (age 69) Higüey, Dominican Republic
Genres	Merengue
Occupation(s)	Musician singer composer arranger
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Universal Music Latino RCA Sony
Associated acts	Los Hermanos Rosario

Máximo Antonio del Rosario (born November 3, 1955), known as Toño Rosario, is a famous musician from the Dominican Republic. He is best known for his exciting Merengue music. Toño was a leader in the popular band Los Hermanos Rosario. Later, in 1990, he started his own solo career. His solo music became very successful, earning him gold and platinum awards for selling many albums.

Toño Rosario is one of the best-selling merengue artists ever. He has been nominated for big awards like the Latin Grammy Awards and Grammy Awards. Some of his most famous songs include 'Kulikitaca', 'Resistire', 'Seguire', 'Jenny', and 'Viborar del Mar'. He was the first solo merengue artist to sell out famous venues like Madison Square Garden in New York City. Toño Rosario is also a part-owner of the Miami Dolphins NFL team.

Toño Rosario's Musical Journey

Toño Rosario is famous for his lively merengue songs. As a member of Los Hermanos Rosario, he helped make merengue music popular around the world. Their songs reached the top of music charts in Latin America and Europe. Toño is known as the top-selling merengue artist of all time. He has sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Many people love his romantic merengue style.

Early Life and The Rosario Brothers

Toño and his brothers loved music from a young age. They grew up in a poor family. They often used household items as makeshift instruments. In 1978, they formed their band, "Los Hermanos Rosario." Toño, Pepe, and Rafa were the main singers. Luis, Tony, and Francis played the instruments. They started by performing for their neighbors. This helped them become known and eventually discovered. After their brother Pepe passed away, Toño and Rafa became the main singers. Toño's unique voice made him stand out.

Starting a Solo Career

After 12 years with his brothers, Toño left the group in the late 1980s. He started his solo career on April 14, 1990, in Puerto Rico. He quickly became one of the most popular merengue singers. Some of his albums even reached "diamond status," meaning they sold a huge number of copies.

His first solo album, "Y mas...", was highly praised. His second album, "Atado a ti," sold more than expected. It stayed on the Billboard Charts for over 30 weeks. In 1992, his third album, "Retorno a mis raises," went platinum. This means it sold over a million copies. The song "La Gozadera" from this album was very popular in the Dominican Republic.

In 1993, his fourth album, "Amor Jollao," went gold. This means it sold 500,000 copies. He signed with WEA Latina in 1994. He then released "Me olvide de vivir" (1994) and "Quiero Volver a Empezar" (1995). His albums "Seguire" (1997) and "Exclusivo" (1998) became his highest-charting albums in the United States.

Platinum Success and Awards

"La Magia del Cuco," released in 1999, was his first album to be certified platinum by the RIAA. It sold over 200,000 copies. In the same year, Toño performed at The Merengue Festival in Santo Domingo.

In 2000, Toño's 10th album, "Yo soy Toño," became his best-selling album. It was certified platinum and sold over 250,000 copies. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Merengue Album. It was also nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.

His 2002 album, "Toño en America," was also successful. The song "Yo kuli, Yo kula," also known as "Kulikitaca," became a huge hit across Latin America.

In 2004, Toño Rosario signed a big contract with Universal Latino. He also performed a sold-out show with Tego Calderon. In December 2004, he released his 12th album, "Resistire." This album received good reviews. It was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award. The main song, "Resistire," was nominated for "Tropical Airplay Song of the Year" at the 2006 Latin Billboard Music Awards.

In 2006, his live album "En Vivo: El original" reached number 5 on the US Tropical Albums Chart. His 2007 album, "A tu gusto," entered the top 10 of the Billboard Tropical Charts. In 2009, his collection album Don't Worry Be Happy: The Best of Toño Rosario reached number 16.

"Kulikitaka" Goes Viral

In 2018, Toño's song "Kulikitaka" became a huge internet sensation. This happened in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Many people loved it, and it was used in stage shows and videos. In Kerala, it became famous as an African song because of a video shared on WhatsApp. Even small restaurants started using the song's name!

Personal Life

Toño Rosario was married to Puerto Rican merengue singer Ivette Cintron. They married in 1983 in New York City.

Discography

Toño Rosario has released many albums and singles throughout his career.

With Los Hermanos Rosario

Studio albums

• 1980: ¡Vienen Acabando!
• 1983: Vol. 1
• 1984: Vol. 2
• 1985: Vol. 3
• 1987: Acabando!
• 1988: Otra Vez!
• 1990: Fuera de Serie

Compilation albums

• 1988: Lo Mejor de los Hermanos Rosario
• 1989: Lo Mejor de los Hermanos Rosario Vol. 2
• 1993: 14 Éxitos Impressionantes
• 1994: Juntos Con Sus Éxitos
• 1997: El Disco de Oro
• 1998: La Historia Musical Rosario
• 2001: 20 Aniversario
• 2003: Grandes Éxitos
• 2005: Grandes Éxitos Vol. 2
• 2006: Antología Musical
• 2007: La Bomba

Solo Studio albums

Toño Rosario has released many successful solo albums. Here are some of them:

Compilation albums

• Grandes Éxitos: Cinco Años de Platino (1995)
• Colecciones y Éxitos (1997)
• La Alegría del Merengue (1999)
• Serie 2000 (2000)
• Juntos (con Wilfrido Vargas) (2002)
• Colección Diamante (2003)
• Todo lo Bueno de Toño Rosario (2003)
• Amigo Mío: Toño y Sus Éxitos (2003)
• Lo Mejor de Toño Rosario (2006)
• Tradicional (2006)
• Don't Worry Be Happy: The Best of Toño Rosario (2009)
• 20 Grandes Éxitos (2010)
• Mis Favoritas (2012)

Live albums

• En Vivo: El Original (2006)
• Lo Más Encendío de Toño Rosario (2007)
• Los Mega Éxitos en Vivo (2009)
• El Mandatario (2011)

Singles

Toño Rosario has released many popular singles. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Toño Rosario para niños