Jorge Oñate Colombian Singer (1949–2021)

Early life

Jorge Antonio Oñate González was a Colombian singer and composer, born on 31 March 1949 in La Paz, a small town near Valledupar. He was the youngest of three children of Daniel González and Delfina Oñate. He grew up in La Paz and went to school there until he finished secondary education, already known locally for his talent for singing vallenato, the folk genre of Colombia's Caribbean region. He was also a football player. He later studied at the Libre University of Colombia.

Career

Oñate's professional career began in 1968, straight after high school, when the local group Los Guatapuri hired him as lead singer. The group recorded the album Festival Vallenato. In 1969 he joined Los Hermanos López, who were already well known in the region, and the first record with them was Lo Último en Vallenatos!. A string of albums with the group followed over the next few years: Diosa Divina in 1970, El Jardincito in 1971, Reyes Vallenatos in 1972, El Cantor de Fonseca and Las Bodas de Plata in 1973, and Fuera de Concurso and Rosa Jardinera in 1974. In 1970 he also recorded Conmigo es el Baile with the accordionist Nelson Díaz.

From 1975 he increasingly released albums under his own name, each paired with an accordionist. With Colacho Mendoza he recorded Los Dos Amigos, Campesino Parrandero, Únicos and Silencio. Raúl Martínez accompanied him on records at the end of the 1970s, and Juancho Rois on a series that ran from 1981 to 1985, including Ruiseñor de mi Valle, Paisaje de Sol and El Cariño de mi Pueblo. Álvaro López played on his albums from 1986 into the early 1990s, among them Irene, El Jilguero and Palabras de Amor, and returned for the 2016 release Patrimonio Cultural. Cocha Molina and Julián Rojas were his accordionists around the turn of the century.

In the 2000s he worked with the young accordionist Cristian Camilo Peña, who had been crowned king at the Vallenato Legend Festival in Valledupar. Together they recorded Seguiré Triunfando in 2004, Vivo Cantando in 2005 and Mi Mejor Regalo in 2006, followed by 40 Años de Parranda in 2008 and Te Dedico Mis Triunfos in 2009. Later releases include El Chacho de la Película in 2012 and Jorge Oñate es Universal in 2013. His recordings were released through labels that included Sony BMG. By 2004, counting from the start of his career in 1968, his sales had earned him 25 gold discs, seven platinum discs and six double platinum discs.

Public roles

Oñate also took part in local politics. He served as a councillor of his hometown and represented the department of Cesar while deputising for Alfredo Cuello Dávila.

Recognition

In 2010 the Latin Recording Academy presented Oñate with the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is counted among the best-known performers of vallenato.

Personal life

Oñate married Nancy Zuleta, and they had three children. He died on 28 February 2021.