Frankie Ruiz

The hard-living Frankie Ruíz is known as “El Papá de la Salsa”, an American singer who bridged the classic salsa dura of the 1970s with the salsa romántica of the ’80s and ’90s. Ruíz mastered the intense musicality and verbal improvisations of early salsa but then explored more romantic lyrical content, renewing the genre for a new generation of fans. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1958, he recorded his first two songs with Charlie Lopez y La Orquesta Nueva when he was just a kid. He moved to Puerto Rico with his mother in 1965 after his parents’ divorce; there, he found his way into local salsa act La Solución in the late ’70s. His reedy tenor, reminiscent of Héctor Lavoe’s, was a piercing and seductive instrument that differed from his lower speaking voice, and he was an immediate hit. Tragedy struck soon after, however: the deaths of his mother and his girlfriend left him emotionally shattered, and he struggled with addiction for the rest of his life. After three years with La Solución, Ruíz was invited to join renowned Puerto Rican bandleader Tommy Olivencia’s orchestra in 1982, replacing the esteemed Gilberto Santa Rosa. He launched a solo career in 1985 with Solista pero no Solo, which spawned two major hits, “Tú con Él” and “La Cura”. He spent three years in jail from 1989 to 1992, where he achieved short-lived sobriety; the wittily titled Mi Libertad was recorded upon his release. But Ruíz’s addictions resurfaced, and despite his best efforts, he died of liver failure in 1998 at 40. His legend has lived on, though, inspiring countless young salseros and earning tributes from artists including Cheo Feliciano, Jerry Rivera and Charlie Cruz.