By Alcibiades Nuñez.
The city of San Juan del Cesar is celebrating its forty-sixth National Composers Festival. These festivities are celebrated this year from December 7 to 9 in tribute to two great vallenato singers such as Alberto ‘Beto’ Zabaleta and Nelson Velásquez.
‘Beto’ Zabaleta is the most sentimental singer that vallenato has, a native of the municipality of El Molino, La Guajira, he is a fan of roosters and an excellent rancher; This artist is a noble, kind, respectful person, and highly esteemed and considered by his countrymen and countrymen in his hometown.
He is a singer who has become known through his abilities and skills in vallenato singing, for more than 25 years of artistic life, and who has made a musical partner with great vallenato accordion players such as Emilio Oviedo, Alberto ‘Beto’ Villa, Orangel ‘El Pangue’ Maestre, ‘Franco’ Argüelles and Gregorio ‘Goyo’ Oviedo, where the compact discs ‘El cantor triumphante’, ‘Los triumphadores’, ‘Orgullo Guajiro’, ‘For everyone and as far as we go’ stand out ‘, ‘Let me love her’, ‘For loving her so much’, ‘I give away my songs’, ‘Unforgettable parrandas’, ‘Blessed verses’, ‘I want to forget you’, ‘Beautiful songs’, ‘Be happy because I’m coming…’, ‘I always think of you’ (1989), ‘Ties of brotherhood’, ‘God and I’, ‘A leader and a King’, ‘Los Betos again’, ‘With all the soul’, ‘Corazón.com’, ‘Singing and accordion ‘ ‘Celebrating’, ‘I dreamed again’, ‘The little formula’, ‘A commitment to you’, ‘Your man is me’, ‘The little kiss’, among others.
‘De fiesta por Colombia’ is the latest album, it is a way to express their gratitude to each and every one of their fans and followers, in each of the cities, towns and villages where they have performed in the musical concerts they have held. been liked by each of the followers and attendees of these artistic and cultural events.
The other honoree, Nelson Velásquez, is one of the artists who represents the romantic vallenato, he is a musical partner with the successful and renowned San Juan accordion player Emerson Plata, Nelson is one of the few singers who has achieved one of his hit ‘Volver’, be chosen as the best song at the Cali Fair.
In 1996 they had the opportunity to release their second work ‘Volver a Triunfar’ on the music market, which featured songs such as ‘After You’, ‘I Want to Know About You’ and ‘Every day I love you more’.
In a short time this musical group has multitudes of followers, who identify with the originality of its lyrics and its elegant style, because its audience is always attentive and waiting for its new hits. Their third album ‘Inquietos por el Mundo’ is released. From this work, songs such as ‘Don’t forget me’, ‘Now that you’re leaving’, ‘Kiss After Kiss’, and ‘You’ll be surprised’ stood out.
After an extensive tour of the United States and Central America, in 1999, they returned with their catchy and original style that characterizes them to present their new compact album ‘Presente y Futuro’, one of the musical works that took them to the top of their game. musical career, where he presents hits such as ‘Siempre Niegues que te Amo’, which was chosen as the song of the year 2000; Likewise, tracks like ‘I love you like this’, ‘Without her I die’, ‘We live what is Ours’, among others.
