Miguel Poventud

Miguel Poventud
"El Niño Prodigio de Guayama"
Background information
Also known as	"Miguelito"
Born	August 4, 1942 Guayama, Puerto Rico
Died	March 3, 1983 New York City, New York
Genres	Boleros
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer, actor andcomposerofBoleros
Instrument(s)	Guitar
Labels	Spanoramic records RCA (Mexico) Orfeon (International releases)

Miguel Poventuda.k.a."El Niño Prodigio de Guayama"and"Miguelito"(August 4, 1942 – March 3, 1983), was aPuerto Ricanmusician, singer, actor andcomposerofBoleros.Among the singers who have interpreted his musical compositions areJohnny Albino,Héctor LavoeandDaniel Santos.

Early years

Poventud was born inGuayama, Puerto Rico,to Francisco Poventud, a law enforcement officer in theSan JuanPolice Department, and Concepción Aponte, a seamstress. A descendant of Carlos Armstrong and Eulalia Pou, Poventud was the youngest of five siblings. From the age of five Poventud looked forward to trips to the town Plaza accompanied by his mother, dressed in clothes that she herself had sewn. While he was a student at theEscuela Parada Guamani,he suffered a spinal cord injury caused by a biking accident and was hospitalized for two years, which left him immobile at the age of 10. His mother was stricken byTBand died shortly after he was discharged from the hospital.

When Poventud's father gave him a guitar, he taught himself to play it. He re-arranged the guitar strings upside down since he wasleft handed.Soon Poventud was performing in his hometown of Guayama, winning awards, and singing before large audiences at the local radio station WHOM. He became known asEl Niño Prodigio de Guayama(The Child Prodigy of Guayama). After his mother's death, Poventud's father remarried. The young boy resented this, and resented his father's opposition to his musical career.

Musical career

Victor Alonso of Spanoramic records became interested in Poventud's musical work. Before his mother died, Alonso promised her that he would give Poventud a career opportunity. He made Poventud an offer that included the recording of Poventud's first record album titledPobre Huerfanito(Poor Little Orphan) in New York City. At this point, Poventud's father again resisted the boy's musical career, and his older brother Carlos argued with the father about Miguelito's future. After this argument, Carlos took young Poventud to live with him in New York City, and became his legal guardian.

New York City

Teatro Puerto Rico in the 1950s

In New York, Poventud continued his primary and secondary education at P.S. 93 Elementary School, then at Joan of Arc High School.

Poventud wrote his first composition at age 14 titledYa No Soy Un Niño.(I'm Not a Child Anymore). His primary inspirations were his deceased mother, his new reality in New York, a growing romanticism, and the melancholy of diaspora - a nostalgia for the island and the people that he'd left behind. In 1956, still at the age of 14, Poventud was invited to sing in the wedding ofGrace KellyandRainier III, Prince of Monaco.

Poventud made his professional debut inEl Teatro Puerto Rico,where he sang the songs he'd written in his mother's memory:Soy un Huerfanito(I'm a Little Orphan),De Que Me Sirve la Vida(What's the Use of Living), andHechame a Mi la Culpa(Blame Me). Poventud continued to make further presentations at the theater withYomo Toro y su ConjuntoplayingRock 'n Rollin English, and singingBolerosin Spanish. His also sang Rock 'n Roll songs such as "Prometo Recordarte"(I Promise to Remember You). He made two appearances in a local New York television show, in which he sang" De Boca a Boca "(Mouth to Mouth) and several other Rock 'n Roll numbers.

Poventud participated in a comedy sketch with Mexican comedianTin Tanand was invited by the comedian to join his act in Mexico, which he did, and there they recorded an album based on their act. While in Mexico, he appeared and sang inAround the World in 80 Days,a movie based on aJules Vernenovel.Also in Mexico, he participated in five recordings with the musical trioEl Trio Los Panchos.In 1961, he returned to New York and married his high school sweetheart Norma Iris Guzman, with whom he had two children.

In 1964, Poventud filled in forJohnny Albinoas aCBSmusician with El Trio Los Panchos, when Albino could not sing because of a voice ailment. This occurred during the recording of "More Amor" withEydie Gorme.Poventud went on to record the albumLos Panchos by Special Request,a compilation of love songs recorded in English for CBS, with Albino. He also, participated as the main guitarist and voice accompaniment in the recording of "Grandes Exitos de Johnny Albino con Los Panchos" with Albino.In 1965 the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world, a Puerto Rican namedJosé "Chegui" Torres,went to see one of Poventud's performances at Mexico'sEl Teatro Liricoand they became friends. Eventually they were both invited to appear onThe Ed Sullivan Show,where Torres sang "Un Poco Mas" accompanied by Poventud and his guitar.

Poventud returned to New York, attendedBoricua Collegein the Bronx, and became politically involved in thePuerto Rican independence movementaround this time. Together with his trio theMiguel Poventud y Su Trío,succeeded as a bolerista. He tried his hand at singing Salsa and Ballads in the late sixties and early seventies, working with various "guitar trios" throughout New York. In 1974 he agreed to participate in the albumThe Mambo Boys Classicstogether with Al Abreu (sax), Manny Duran (trumpet), Manny Corchado (percussion),Tito Puente(timbales), Ozzie Torrens (conga),Charlie Palmieri(piano) and Louie Ramirez (vibes). Louie Ramirez and Chico Mendoza arranged the Salsa session, while Hector Garrido arranged the ballads. Poventud andBobby Capósang "Tan Felices".Poventud also recorded with Capo in "El Bardo" and withTito Puentein theAl Ladito Tuyoalbums.

Che Guevara Speaks

In 1975, Poventud and José Glóro provided the musical background forChe GuevaraSpeaks,a recording of an interview withErnesto "Che" Guevarrabefore Guevara was sent toBolivia.Poventud had an accident two days before the recording and showed up with and injured thumb that was held in place with a metal pin and stitches. Despite this injury, Poventud played an accordion for the occasion.In 1976, Poventud made the arrangements and was the first guitarist in Pepe and Flora's albumEn La Lucha.That same year, he also participated in the protests in favor of Puerto Rican independence in front of theUnited NationsBuilding in New York.

In 1978Gilberto Monroig,a member of Tito Puente's Orchestra, and Poventud recorded various songs. Among them wereQue ChevereandMalcriada.Que Cheverewas often played on Radio WADO.

Niegalo

Poventud's interpretation of the songNiegalo(Deny it) resulted he being invited to appear at Mexico'sEl Teatro Lirico.The song Niegalo was also interpreted byChago AlvaradoinPeru.In 1978, Poventud also recorded Alvarado'sMe Cansó tu Historia(I'm Tired of your Story).Another song that received international recognition wasTite Curet Alonso'sTu Mente(Your Mind) interpreted by Poventud.Tu Mentewon the Billboard Award for Best Latin Artist in 1977.

Another Puerto Rican singer,Daniel Santos,recorded Poventud'sSi Yo Fuera Millonario(If I Were a Millionaire). The jibaro song,Joven Contra Viejo(Young Against Old) featuredHéctor Lavoeand Daniel Santos settling their age-based differences on-stage, but not without a heavy dose of humor and (yet again) Yomo Toro's cuatro music as a backdrop. It included a song from PoventudUna Pena en La Navidad.(A Pain in Christmas).

Later years

Poventud lived inTriBeCa,aneighborhoodinlower Manhattan,New York.During his last years he performed at the Chibcha Restaurant inQueens.One of his songs,Eres todo para Miwas released in 1983. He died on March 3, 1983, at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York and was buried in Guayama, the place of his birth. He is survived by his wife Norma Iris Guzman and his daughters Kaluska and Yolanda Poventud.

Selected compositions

External audio
You may listen to Miguel Poventud and his groupLos Menores singMi Amada DianaonYouTube(Spanish)
andPrometo Recordarte(I Promise To Remember you)onYouTube.

Among Poventud's many musical compositions, which can be found in libraries, are the following:

• Che Guevara Speaks- (Poventud provided the musical background)- 2 editions published between 1973 and re-leased in 2000 in Spanish and held by 17 libraries worldwide.
• Bailemos Twist- Held by 2 libraries worldwide
• Mi Amada Diana- Held by 2 libraries worldwide
• No me Importa tu Suerte- Held by 1 library worldwide
• Feliz Navidad- Held by 1 library worldwide
• Agonias de Amor- Held by 1 library worldwide

Compositions with Words and Music by Miguel Poventud 1970

• Esto SigueandChevere- Recorded by Gilberto Monroig
• Voy a Combiar Mi Corazon- Recorded byMarco Antonio Muñiz
• Al Fin Del Mundo;Recordar Es Morir; QuienandFlor- Recorded by Pepe y Flora
• No Me Importa Ya Tu SuerteandDevuelveme Mis Cosas

1975

• Mami Donde Esta Papi
• Otra Navidad Sin TiandEn La Navidad Una Pena-Recorded by Héctor Lavoe
• Fuiquiti,La Casa NuestraandTradicion Eterna(new titleSalve Mi Pueblo)-Recorded by Yomo Toro

Author, Music and Lyrics

• Devuelveme Mis Cosas
• El Ultimo Beso- (co-written with Francisco De La Barrera Gonzalez)
• Que Cosa Te Hice Yo- (co-written with Francisco De La Barrera Gonzalez)
• Voy a Cambiar mi Corazon
• Yo Siento Quererte

Recordings by Poventud

• Tin Tan y Miguelito Poventud,andPobre Huerfanito, Canta Miguel Poventud-Recorded at Spanoramic Recordings, New York
• Miguel Poventud, Agonias de Amor- Recorded at RCA Victor of Mexico
• Venat Industrias Electronicas Y Musicales Peruanas S.A.
• De Paranda- Recorded at Blank Tapes NYC Mfd.
• Miguelito Poventud, Tu Mente;Miguelito Poventud, Tu MenteandEl Bardo-Recorded at Orfeon in Mexico
• Miguel Poventud, Al Ladito Tuyo- Recorded at Milly Latino
• Miguel Poventud, Eres Todo En mi- Recorded at WS Latino
• Have a Good Time- Recorded at Mapa records
• De Parranda- Recorded at Orfeon in NYC

In 1997, Yomo Toro re-releasedFuikitiandUna Pena en la Navidadwith original compositions by Miguel Poventud in an album titledCelebremos Navidad(Let us Celebrate Christmas), produced by Rachel Faro and Sammy Figueroa. The album won the "Indie Award Best Latin Album" and the "Paoli Prize Best Christmas Album" award.In 2009, Toro once more released the albumFuikiti,which included Poventud's compositionsEsta Navidad(This Christmas);Otra Navidad Sin Ti(Another Christmas Without You);Despierta, Despierta(Wake Up, Wake Up); and Fuikiti.

See also

• List of Puerto Rican songwriters
• List of Puerto Ricans