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"SalsaPulse.com...The pulse of the Salsa dance community"
Recently, I was
contacted by Charles Ornelas, personal friend and spiritual advisor to
the late-great “The Father of Salsa” Frankie Ruiz, who had found the
article, which I had previously written on Frankie Ruiz’s last concert
performance at Club Crystal in South Beach (Florida) in 1998. Upon reading my
article, Charles Ornelas very graciously sent me a copy of his latest book “Vuelvo
a Nacer Que Rico”, which I read with great enthusiasm.
This book is more than just a timeline of events in the life of Frankie Ruiz,
but a rare glimpse into the man, his life, and his legacy; as seen through some
of the people who knew him best: his loving fiancé Rosemary Salvador and his
spiritual advisor and confidant (Author) Charles Ornelas.
The book portrays
the colorful and tragic last year of Frankie Ruiz’s life: from his spiritual
rebirth, to his tireless efforts to live out the remaining days of his life by
singing for his adoring fans, to his efforts to spread the word of God, to his
final last moments on this earth, and the tributes to follow. Frankie Ruiz was
truly the most celebrated Salsa singer of this generation, and he left a lasting
impression on this genre, which contributed to its overall popularity,
progression, and longevity.
In the article,
which I had previous written about Frankie Ruiz to commemorate his final South
Florida performance, I objectively illustrated the profound spiritual mood,
which seemed to illuminate that evening as Frankie would sing for the final time
in his career to a packed audience of diehard fans. I felt personally privileged
to have witnessed this historic event and for being blessed to have experienced
what clearly seemed to me as a surreal spiritual vibe, which resonated in me for
several days after that performance.
Through reading “Vuelvo
a Nacer Que Rico” an Authorized Biography, I was able to also learn the chain of
events, which led up to this momentous event, insight on how Frankie’s
unwavering spirit and the power of prayer had uplifted him from his illness to
be able to perform that night, and the major events that followed.
Rare personal
photographs taken by those closest to Frankie are also included in the book, as
well as an account of his daily routine, insight into Frankie’s vibrant
personality, his medical/psychological condition during that timeframe, and a
rare glimpse into the relationship Frankie had with his beloved fiancé Rosemary
Salvador, who loved and cared for him, along with her mother, family and
friends, up until his final moments.
This book is a reading requirement for anyone who professes to be a fan of
the late-great “The Father of Salsa” Frankie Ruiz. The numerous religious
references provide an insiders view of Frankie’s spirituality, and his desire to
spread the word of how he had been saved and felt it his moral obligation to
share with the world his sincere gratitude to have been given a second chance to
perform again and be born again, as documented in the last recording of his song
“Vuelvo a Nacer” (Born Again).
This book is a loving tribute to Frankie Ruiz and to those who where there
for him during what must have been the most celebrated and most challenging
times of his life. Read the book and enjoy it, as I did, and you will certainly
learn the true meaning of what it means to love unconditionally and what it
means to have been blessed with a chance to be born again.
Stefan Vale
SalsaPulse.com
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