One of the Philippines’ top musicians and songwriters Mr Rey Valera whose compositions launched the record hits of a number of Philippine celebrities will be touring Australia on October 2015. Sydney show will be on Sunday, 25th October 2015 at Tivoli Showroom, Rooty Hill RSL, 55 Sherbrooke St, Rooty Hill 2766 NSW.
Valera is a highy regarded music director, film scorer as well as entertainer himself. His concert is entitled “Pangako Sa’yo”.
Rey Valera who himself described his poor beginning which was reeked with struggles and poverty and his breakthrough to life of fame and fortune was most thankful of the opportunities in life through music. He remembered his rise from impoverished life whilst living with relatives whom he can only repay by doing household chores. In Bulacan Ray found solace in music and the surroundings of a cemetery which helped him compose his early songs.
Rey wrote and produced songs that were recorded by various singers, most notably Sharon Cuneta. He was a former host of the variety noontime show Pilipinas Win na Win alongside Rico J. Puno, Nonoy Zuniga and Marco Sison.
Wikepedia says Rey Valera started his recording career in 1977 after becoming a band member from a group called Electric Hair Band for seven years. He waxed his first single as a solo singer – songwriter with the song Ako si Superman, which he created supposedly for Rico Puno. His former boss at Vicor Records gave him the opportunity to sing his song and at the same time hired him as one of Vicor’s in-house producers.
Rey also made songs for other artists such as Rico Puno’s Sorry Na, Pwede Ba, Daigdig Ng Ala-ala; Geraldine’s Pangako; Pol Enriquez’ Ayoko na Sa ‘Yo and many more. While he made songs for his peers, he made albums for himself such as Naaalala Ka, Rey Valera Vol. 2, Walang Kapalit, Hello, The Rey Valera Christmas Album, Gabay Mo Ako, Rey Valera’s Greatest Hits Vol. 1,Rey Valera’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2, Pirapirasong Ala-ala, Sa Kabila Ng Lahat, Kung Sakaling Iibig Muli, FM Ka, AM Ako, Home Sweet Home, Ang Mahalaga, etc. Most of these albums made golds and platinums.
Vicor Music Corporation has compiled all of Rey Valera’s recorded songs in their library in a 4 disc set album entitled, “Walang Kapalit
One of his initial projects was to make a song for a twelve-year-old mayor’s daughter named Sharon Cuneta. It dawned upon Rey to write a song about the people who were responsible for playing songs on the radio; the DJs. Wherever radio station the song would be submitted in, it was almost always guaranteed that it would be played as it was their song. The song, Mr. DJ,made remarkable sales on the chart.
In 2002, Rey reunited with his contemporaries Rico J. Puno and Hajji Alejandro in a series of concerts called “Greatest Hits”, highlighting the music of their own time. They also launched a VCD recording of their concert.[8] Nonoy Zuñiga and Marco Sison joined the group in the following year. The group continues to perform both locally and internationally [9][10][11]
Although they were formally named “The Greatest Hits”, the group felt that using the name “The Greatest Hitmakers” was more proper, as the former referred to the ‘songs’ and not the group members themselves.
The group has successfully performed even with the absence of one or two members, usually concentrating on a core trio group ( e.g. Rey, Hajji, Rico / Rey, Hajji, Marco / Rey, Rico, Marco ) and varies between concert to concert, depending on each member’s availability. This flexibility of the group’s roster combined with miscommunication with the each show’s promoter and other reasons has often led to various names for the group such as “The Hitmakers”, “The Greatest Hits”, “The Great Hitmakers” “GH5”, “GH4” and such.
iOn November 9, 2006, Rey was inducted to Bulacan’s own “Walk of Fame”, in the “Hardin ng Mga Bayani at Sining” ( The Garden of the Heroes and Arts/Artists), Malolos City, Bulacan.
Rey was among the few Bulakeños who was given the title of “Alagad ng Sining at Kultura ng Bulacan”, loosely translated as “Disciple of the Arts and Culture of Bulacan”, or simply put, Great Artist of Bulacan.