Andrés Jiménez Hernández, popularly known as "El Jíbaro" (born July 3, 1947 in

Orocovis Orocovis (, ; from the Taino chief Orocobix) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the center of the island. Founded by Juan Rivera de Santiago in 1825. Orocovis is spread over 17 barrios. It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guay ...

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

), is a composer and singer of traditional Puerto Rican folk music (

jíbaro music The Music of Puerto Rico has evolved as a heterogeneous and dynamic product of diverse cultural resources. The most conspicuous musical sources of Puerto Rico have primarily included African, Taino Indigenous, and European influences. Pue ...

) and is that music genre's best known contemporary trovador (troubadour, i.e., singer) linked to the Neofolkloric movement of the

Nueva Canción (European , ; 'new song') is a left-wing social movement and musical genre in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by folk music, folk-inspired styles and socially committed lyrics. is widely recognized to have played a profou ...

(New Song).

Early life

Jiménez was born on July 3, 1947, in

Gato Gato (Spanish for cat) may refer to: People *Gato (given name) * Gato (surname) Places * Gato Island, in the Visayan Sea, Philippines * Gato Island, in the Mochima National Park on the northeastern coast of Venezuela * Gato, Orocovis, Puert ...

, a barrio of Orocovis, Puerto Rico. He is the fourth of fifteen children of Juan Jiménez and Felícita Hernández. His father, a tireless farmer, taught him to love the earth and the cultivated soil passionately. Early on, his mother stirred an interest in singing, particularly by taking him to ceremonies where folk music, like the "seis chorreao" and "aguinaldos," was interpreted. A desire for a better career opportunities led him to emigrate to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

where he was drafted into the army. Upon his return, he entered the

University of Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Universidad de Puerto Rico;'' often shortened to UPR) is the main List of state and territorial universities in the United States, public university system in the Commonwealth (U.S. i ...

and went on stage for the first time as part of the Grupo Taoné which had legendary musicians like Roy Brown, Antonio Cabán Vale "El Topo," Noel Hernández, Carlos Lozada, and the duo Pepe y Flora.

Songs

Jiménez wrote "El Puertorriqueño" (''The Puerto Rican''), a song that describes the Puerto Rican person. Included in the characteristics of a Puerto Rican, in those lyrics are: A Puerto Rican has a dark skin tone, a clear forehead, a languid look, a pale countenance, a proportional nose, is of medium-size, a witty person, free, arrogant, with a restless mind; is human, likeable, just and giving... variable in the affairs of love.

Local and international performances

Jiménez continued to perform with Taoné for several years while developing a unique style that reaffirmed his commitment to Puerto Rico’s culture and

Jíbaro Jivaro or Jibaro, also spelled Hivaro or Hibaro, may refer to: * Jíbaro (Puerto Rico), mountain-dwelling peasants in Puerto Rico * Jíbaro music, a Puerto Rican musical genre * Jivaroan peoples, indigenous peoples in northern Peru and eastern ...

music. With Taoné, he traveled to the

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and made presentations at the universities of

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...

and

Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

, as well as in many Puerto Rican migrant communities in

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Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

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and

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. In 1973, he participated in the Youth Festival in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. He represented Puerto Rico in the First Latin American Folk Song (Primer Cantar Folclórico de América Latina), held in

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

. That same year, he toured different Mexican states, sponsored by the National Institute of Fine Arts. In October, along with his new band, he performed at the Festival Homenaje al Trovador (Festival in Tribute to the Troubadour), held in the Plaza Bolívar in

Caracas Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...

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. In November, he received the “Premio Encuentro por Trayectoria Artística" ("The Encounter Award for Artistic Legacy").

Awards and accolades

Jiménez was awarded the Agüeybaná Award twice for Best Performer of traditional Puerto Rican folk music. He has also received awards like the Diplo and the Cacique Orocovix, and has been recognized by various civic and cultural organizations, including the

Puerto Rico House of Representatives The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico () is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the bicameral territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The House, together with the Senate, control the legislative branch of the go ...

. In April 1997, he received the Farándula Award for his album "Los Santos Inocentes ", considered the best Puerto Rican 1996 Christmas album. It earned him the Gold Record Award for the sale of more than fifty thousand units. A year later the song “Los tecnócratas”, from his album "En la última trinchera", became the anthem of the Puerto Rican labor movement against the privatization of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company. He has participated in made-for-TV special presentations including "Somos un solo pueblo" ("We are one people") and "Al compás de un sentimiento" ("To the beat of a feeling"), produced by the

Banco Popular de Puerto Rico Popular, Inc., doing business as Banco Popular in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and as Popular Bank in the mainland United States, is a financial services Conglomerate (company), conglomerate that has operated in Puerto Rico for over 125 ye ...

, and the concert "Enciende la estrella de la paz" ("Light the star of peace") in 1998 which was sponsored by the

Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular The National Foundation for Popular Culture — (FNCP)— is a non-profit organization focused on the popular culture of Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-gover ...

. In 1999, El Jíbaro" also participated another political movement. He joined forces with salsa singer

Ismael Miranda Ismael Miranda, also known as ''El Niño Bonito de la Salsa'' ("The Pretty Boy of Salsa") (born February 20, 1950) is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Early years Miranda (birth name: Ismael Miranda Carrero) was born in Aguada, Puerto Rico ...

to compose the album "Son de Vieques" ("A Tune for Vieques"), and produced the CD "Raíces Puertorriqueñas" ("Puerto Rican Roots"), which features the "Singing Children" of

. Both works won awards and were used as rallying cries for the rights of the people of Vieques.

Recent times

In later productions, Jiménez composed “trovas” depicting sacred music themes like “Jesús, Hijo de Dios" ("Jesus, the Son of God”) based on the décimas of artist

Luis Germán Cajiga Luis Germán Cajiga is Puerto Rican painter, poet and essayist known for his screen printing depicting Puerto Rico's natural landscape, its creole culture, and religious motifs. He was born in 1934, in the municipality of Quebradillas, Puerto Ri ...

s, which were inspired by verses from the Biblical books of Luke, Matthew and Mark. He has also continued with his nationalist leitmotif with albums like “So we are,” “Nacido en Borikén" ("Born in Borikén”) and “Día de gallo pinto" ("Day of gallo pinto”). Jiménez has also been the producer of the Festival Jíbaro which has hosted some of the most significant Puerto Rican artists.

References