Jorge Antonio Oñate González (31 March 1949 – 28 February 2021) was a Colombian singer and composer, one of the most renowned of the

vallenato Vallenato () or "Szlager" in Wayuu language (from the German "Schlager"), is a popular folk music genre from Colombia. It primarily comes from its Caribbean region. ''Vallenato'' literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing t ...

musical genre. As of 2004 and since the beginning of his career in 1968 he had achieved 25

gold disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

s, 7

platinum disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

s and 6

double platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

for his sales, among other numerous musical accomplishments.Jorge Onate: Biografia.
jorgeonate.com Accessed January 15, 2007. He had also successfully entered politics as councilor of his hometown, while deputising for Alfredo Cuello Dávila, representing the department of Cesar.Revista Semana: Política y acordeón.
semana.com Accessed January 16, 2007.

Biography

Early years

Oñate grew up in the small town of La Paz close to Valledupar where he studied until graduating from high school, he was known for having a great aptitude for singing vallenatos. He was also a football player.

Career

In 1968 after High School, Oñate was hired by a local vallenato group called "Los Guatapuri" as the lead singer and officially started his career as vallenato singer. The group released an album titled ''Festival Vallenato.'' In 1969, he teamed up with the already locally famous Hermanos Lopez vallenato group once again as lead singer, releasing the album ''Lo Último en Vallenatos!''. In 1970 Oñate released his second album with the Hermanos Lopez titled ''Diosa Divina'' while he also recorded an album with accordion player Nelson Diaz, titled Conmigo es el Baile. In 1971 Oñate and Hermanos Lopez recorded the album ''El Jardincito''. In 1972 they released the album ''Reyes Vallenatos''. In 1973 the album ''El Cantor de Fonseca'' was released while Las Bodas de Plata appeared in the same year. In 1974 they recorded another two albums, the first one ''Fuera de Concurso''. The second one was named ''Rosa Jardinera''. Oñate more lately performed with one of the youngest accordionists in Colombia, Christian Camilo Peña - only 21 years old, he has already achieved a crown of king in the

Vallenato Legend Festival The Vallenato Legend Festival ( es, Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata) is one of the most important musical festivals in Colombia. The festival features a vallenato music contests for best performer of accordion, caja vallenata and guacharaca ...

celebrated every year in

Valledupar Valledupar () is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Caesar Department. Its name, ''Valle de Upar'' (Valley of Upar), was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; ''Cacique Upar''. T ...

. They recorded three albums together: ''Seguire Triunfando'' (2004), ''Vivo Cantando'' (2005) and ''Mi Mejor Regalo'' (2006). In 2010, Oñate was presented with the

Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is an honor presented annually by the Latin Recording Academy, the same organization that distributes the Latin Grammy Awards, to commend performers "who have made contributions of outstanding artistic ...

by the

Latin Recording Academy pt, Academia Latina da Gravação , image = Latin_grammy_logo_(2022).png , image_border = , size = 150px , caption = , map = , msize = , mcaption = , motto = , formation = , extinction ...

in 2010.

Personal life

Oñate was son of Daniel Gonzalez and Delfina Oñate and was the youngest of three siblings. He married Nancy Zuleta and had three children with her; Jorge Luis, Delfina Ines and Jorge Daniel. He also had another son (also named Jorge) from an extramarital relationship with a woman named Claudia Dangond. Oñate died of complications related to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

on 28 February 2021, one month short of his 72nd birthday, during the

COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia The COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia is part of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The virus was confirmed to have reached Colombia on 6 March 2020. Up to January 2022, fo ...

Discography

*1968 – Festival Vallenato ''Los Guatapuri'' feat. Jorge Oñate. *1969 – Lo Último en Vallenatos! Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1970 – Diosa Divina Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1970 – Conmigo es el Baile Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Nelson Diaz. *1971 – El Jardincito Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1972 – Reyes Vallenatos Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1973 – El Cantor de Fonseca Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1973 – Las Bodas de Plata Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1974 – Fuera de Concurso Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1974 – Rosa Jardinera Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1975 – Canto a mi Tierra Los Hermanos Lopez feat. Jorge Oñate. *1975 – La Parranda y la Mujer

Emiliano Zuleta Emiliano Zuleta Baquero was a Colombian vallenato composer, accordion player and singer, popularly known as ''El viejo Mile'' (The Old Mile). Zuleta was born on January 11, 1912, in La Jagua del Pilar, a small town of la Guajira; He died on Octobe ...

feat. Jorge Oñate. *1975 – Los Dos Amigos Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player

Colacho Mendoza Nicolas Elias Mendoza Daza, also known as Colacho Mendoza (April 15, 1936 – September 27, 2003) was a Colombian Vallenato accordion player and was crowned king of accordion players on many occasions in the Vallenato Legend Festival. He was born i ...

. *1976 – Campesino Parrandero Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player

. *1977 – Únicos Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player

. *1978 – Silencio Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player

. *1978 – En la Cumbre Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player

. *1978 – El Cambio de mi Vida Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Raul Martinez. *1979 – Siempre Unidos Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Raul Martinez. *1980 – Noche de Estrellas Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Raul Martinez. *1981 – Ruiseñor de mi Valle Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Juancho Rois. *1982 – Paisaje de Sol Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Juancho Rois. *1983 – 13 Aniversario Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Juancho Rois. *1983 –

El Cantante ''El Cantante'' is a 2006 biographical film which stars singers Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. The film is based on the life of the late salsa singer Héctor Lavoe, who is portrayed by Anthony. The film is told from the viewpoint of Puchi, ...

Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Juancho Rois. *1984 – Canto y Tradición Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Juancho Rois. *1985 – El Cariño de mi Pueblo Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Juancho Rois. *1986 – Irene Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1987 – El Jilguero Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1988 – El Folclor se viste de Gala Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1989 – Palabras de Amor Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1990 – El Más Fuerte Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1991 – Mi Mejor Momento Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1992 – Bailando Así Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1992 – Canta a Venezuela Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1993 – El Vallenato de Siempre Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1996 – Nací Para Cantar Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Alvaro Lopez. *1997 – El de Todos Los Tiempos Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cocha Molina. *1998 – Es Universal Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cocha Molina. *1999 – El Poder de mis Canciones Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cocha Molina. *2001 – Llévame Contigo Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cocha Molina. *2002 – El Invencible Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Julian Rojas. *2003 – En Vivo (Jorge Oñate album) Jorge Oñate. *2004 – Seguiré Triunfando Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cristian Camilo Peña. *2005 –

Vivo cantando "Vivo cantando" (; "I Live Singing") is a song recorded by Spanish singer Salomé. The song was written by María José de Cerato and Aniano Alcalde, and it was produced by Augusto Algueró. It is best known as the at the Eurovision Song Cont ...

Jorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cristian Camilo Peña. *2006 – Mi Mejor Regalo Jorge Oñate feat. Accordion player Cristian Camilo Peña. *2008 – 0 Años de ParrandaJorge Oñate feat. accordion player Cristian Camilo Peña. *2009 – Te Dedico Mis Triunfos. "La Aplanadora". Jorge Oñate feat. Accordion player Cristian Camilo Peña. *2012 – El Chacho de la Pelicula. Jorge Oñate feat. Accordion player Fernando Rangel Molina *2013 – Jorge Oñate es Universal. Jorge Oñate feat. *2016 – Patrimonio Cultural. Jorge Oñate feat. Accordion player Alvaro Lopez

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Onate, Jorge 1949 births 2021 deaths Free University of Colombia alumni Colombian composers Male composers Valledupar 21st-century Colombian male singers Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Vallenato musicians 20th-century composers 20th-century Colombian male singers 21st-century composers People from Cesar Department Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia