DANNY Rivera has been referred to as Puerto Rico’s conscience. His lefty political activism and advocacy for the independence of the island so angered the conservative elements of Puerto Rico that they once organized a sit-in to publicly burn his records.
Despite the fact that much of his music had been banned from popular radio, however, Rivera’s star rose and has held steadily over the years throughout Latin America.
Known for his fashion statements and activism, the Santurce born singer sported an eight-inch Afro when most folks with curly kinks were straight-ironing their hair and was one of the first Puerto Rican male singers to wear earrings.
Rivera – an outspoken critic of U.S. military activity in Vieques (he has been arrested for his protests) is showing no
signs of slowing down.
At 59, the balladeer is promoting his latest album “Amada Amante,” and is ready to launch a new show.
What about music fascinated you at such a young age?
In the 1950s when I was five, I started living my musical experiences through the radio, which was my first music teacher after my parents.
Listening to the music of Daniel Santos, Celia Cruz, Machito, Tito Rodriguez, Tito Puente and the big bands of the time and . . . experiencing the variety and evolution of music through both radio and TV gave me the knowledge and foundation of Latin American folkloric music and it really helped me to develop my appreciation.
You came from a very poor town in Puerto Rico. How did that effect you?
I developed my craft and became a singer of the streets because I was surrounded by music. In Santurce there was a stretch of cafés with houses close together and in the cafés there were belloneras (jukeboxes) – they had
rock and roll, like Elvis Presley and Chubby Checker, Mexican music, tangos and they also had the salsa music of that time.
How did you adapt to fame early on?
For me, fame was a positive experience because I knew how to manage it and control it, but it was never really important to me to become famous. I just wanted to be happy doing the thing I loved most, which was being a singer.
You were the first Puerto Rican male singer to wear an earring.
The earring represented at that moment a way to say something and a method of self-expression. The thing you have to remember is that those were the years of “Flower Power” and “Black is Beautiful” in the United States . . .
How do you pick songs to sing?
The song has to have a message that communicates with me, and when I find the song with the words, music and harmony that talks to me and liberates me, that is immediately the song I pick to sing.
Are you ever going to retire?
No! Why am I going to retire? Because to retire is to retire from life itself.
As long as I have the energy to continue singing my best and doing my best I will continue doing what I am doing.